City comparison
Baton Rouge, LA vs Knoxville, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Knoxville, TN are 2.0% higher than in Baton Rouge, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in Baton Rouge, LA would need about $102,000 in Knoxville, TN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,184 a month in Knoxville, TN versus $1,064 in Baton Rouge, LA. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Knoxville, TN and 17% in Baton Rouge, LA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,614 a year higher in Baton Rouge, LA than in Knoxville, TN.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Baton Rouge, LA to Knoxville, TN changes real buying power by −1.9%, purely from prices.
- Baton Rouge, LA: price level 90.8 (much cheaper)
- Knoxville, TN: price level 92.6 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Baton Rouge, LA | Knoxville, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.8 | 92.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,971 in Knoxville | $98,067 in Baton Rouge |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,064/mo | $1,184/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,566 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,614 (LA) | $0 (TN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,710 | $47,080 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Baton Rouge, LA HUD Metro FMR Area and Knoxville, TN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Baton Rouge, LA and Knoxville, TN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Baton Rouge | Knoxville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 74.2 | 82.8 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 71.2 | 71.9 |
| Other services | 95.7 | 95.1 |
| Overall | 90.8 | 92.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Baton Rouge, LA → Knoxville, TN
Roughly even
Buying power −1.9%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$2,614/yr.
63 Fair offer
Knoxville, TN → Baton Rouge, LA
Roughly even
Buying power +2.0%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$2,614/yr.
75 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Baton Rouge, LA to Knoxville, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Baton Rouge, LA | Knoxville, TN | Real change, Baton Rouge → Knoxville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −1.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −1.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −1.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −1.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −1.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Baton Rouge, LA | Knoxville, TN | Knoxville pay in Baton Rouge dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,310 | $61,980 | $60,782 (+2.5%) |
| Software Developers | $101,900 | $121,750 | $119,397 (+17.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $73,070 | $75,380 | $73,923 (+1.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,130 | $77,240 | $75,747 (−6.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.