City comparison
Brownsville, TX vs Memphis, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Memphis, TN are 7.2% higher than in Brownsville, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Brownsville, TX would need about $107,200 in Memphis, TN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,154 a month in Memphis, TN versus $866 in Brownsville, TX. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Memphis, TN and 13% in Brownsville, TX.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $0 a year in TX and $0 in 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 Brownsville, TX to Memphis, TN changes real buying power by −6.7%, purely from prices.
- Brownsville, TX: price level 86.0 (much cheaper)
- Memphis, TN: price level 92.2 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Brownsville, TX | Memphis, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 86.0 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,216 in Memphis | $93,270 in Brownsville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $866/mo | $1,154/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $0 (TN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 13% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $36,490 | $46,890 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Brownsville-Harlingen, TX MSA and Memphis, TN-MS-AR HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Brownsville-Harlingen, TX and Memphis, TN-MS-AR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Brownsville | Memphis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 57.7 | 79.8 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 81.2 | 74.1 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 95.4 |
| Overall | 86.0 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Brownsville, TX → Memphis, TN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.7%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
48 Fair offer
Memphis, TN → Brownsville, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.2%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
91 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 Brownsville, TX to Memphis, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Brownsville, TX | Memphis, TN | Real change, Brownsville → Memphis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −6.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −6.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −6.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −6.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −6.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Brownsville, TX | Memphis, TN | Memphis pay in Brownsville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,350 | $61,510 | $57,370 (−9.4%) |
| Software Developers | $106,990 | $125,580 | $117,128 (+9.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $66,440 | $76,960 | $71,780 (+8.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,090 | $81,500 | $76,015 (−6.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.