City comparison
Clarksville, TN vs Durham, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Durham, NC are 7.3% higher than in Clarksville, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Clarksville, TN would need about $107,300 in Durham, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,507 a month in Durham, NC versus $1,094 in Clarksville, TN. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Durham, NC and 17% in Clarksville, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,481 a year higher in Durham, NC than in Clarksville, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.4% moving from Clarksville, TN to Durham, NC ($106,437 → $111,147), while prices change by +7.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.7% in real buying power.
- Clarksville, TN: price level 90.9 (much cheaper)
- Durham, NC: price level 97.6 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Clarksville, TN | Durham, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.9 | 97.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,284 in Durham | $93,210 in Clarksville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,094/mo | $1,507/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,860 | $60,720 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC |
Rent areas: Clarksville, TN-KY HUD Metro FMR Area and Durham-Chapel Hill, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Clarksville, TN-KY and Durham-Chapel Hill, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Clarksville | Durham |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 73.8 | 98.9 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 72.5 | 89.3 |
| Other services | 95.5 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 90.9 | 97.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Clarksville, TN → Durham, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.8%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$3,481/yr.
48 Fair offer
Durham, NC → Clarksville, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.3%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$3,481/yr.
92 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Clarksville, TN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Durham, NC is in Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Clarksville, TN to Durham, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Clarksville, TN | Durham, NC | Real change, Clarksville → Durham |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,453 | −2.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $77,983 | −2.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,468 | −2.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,147 | −2.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,342 | −2.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Clarksville, TN | Durham, NC | Durham pay in Clarksville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,760 | $51,400 | $47,910 (−19.8%) |
| Software Developers | $96,650 | $135,620 | $126,412 (+30.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $72,760 | $85,090 | $79,313 (+9.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,450 | not published | — |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.