City comparison
Clarksville, TN vs Gainesville, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Gainesville, FL are 6.4% higher than in Clarksville, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Clarksville, TN would need about $106,400 in Gainesville, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,246 a month in Gainesville, FL versus $1,094 in Clarksville, TN. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Gainesville, FL and 17% in Clarksville, TN.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $0 a year in TN and $0 in FL.
- 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 Clarksville, TN to Gainesville, FL changes real buying power by −6.0%, purely from prices.
- Clarksville, TN: price level 90.9 (much cheaper)
- Gainesville, FL: price level 96.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Clarksville, TN | Gainesville, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.9 | 96.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,362 in Gainesville | $94,019 in Clarksville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,094/mo | $1,246/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,860 | $47,020 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Clarksville, TN-KY HUD Metro FMR Area and Gainesville, FL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Clarksville, TN-KY and Gainesville, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Clarksville | Gainesville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 73.8 | 93.0 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 72.5 | 88.2 |
| Other services | 95.5 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 90.9 | 96.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Clarksville, TN → Gainesville, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.0%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
50 Fair offer
Gainesville, FL → Clarksville, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.4%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
89 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 Clarksville, TN to Gainesville, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Clarksville, TN | Gainesville, FL | Real change, Clarksville → Gainesville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −6.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −6.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −6.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −6.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −6.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Clarksville, TN | Gainesville, FL | Gainesville pay in Clarksville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,760 | $56,430 | $53,055 (−11.2%) |
| Software Developers | $96,650 | $122,950 | $115,596 (+19.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $72,760 | $75,820 | $71,285 (−2.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,450 | $81,870 | $76,973 (−3.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.