City comparison
Clarksville, TN vs Greensboro, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Greensboro, NC are 2.1% higher than in Clarksville, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Clarksville, TN would need about $102,100 in Greensboro, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,213 a month in Greensboro, NC versus $1,094 in Clarksville, TN. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Greensboro, NC and 17% in Clarksville, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,481 a year higher in Greensboro, NC than in Clarksville, 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 Clarksville, TN to Greensboro, NC changes real buying power by −2.1%, purely from prices.
- Clarksville, TN: price level 90.9 (much cheaper)
- Greensboro, NC: price level 92.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Clarksville, TN | Greensboro, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.9 | 92.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,109 in Greensboro | $97,935 in Clarksville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,094/mo | $1,213/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% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,860 | $46,570 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Clarksville, TN-KY HUD Metro FMR Area and Greensboro-High Point, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Clarksville, TN-KY and Greensboro-High Point, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Clarksville | Greensboro |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 73.8 | 74.5 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 72.5 | 89.1 |
| Other services | 95.5 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 90.9 | 92.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Clarksville, TN → Greensboro, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.1%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$3,481/yr.
62 Fair offer
Greensboro, NC → Clarksville, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.1%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$3,481/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 Clarksville, TN to Greensboro, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Clarksville, TN | Greensboro, NC | Real change, Clarksville → Greensboro |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −2.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −2.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −2.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −2.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −2.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Clarksville, TN | Greensboro, NC | Greensboro pay in Clarksville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,760 | $59,730 | $58,496 (−2.1%) |
| Software Developers | $96,650 | $125,190 | $122,604 (+26.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $72,760 | $80,170 | $78,514 (+7.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,450 | $82,860 | $81,149 (+2.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.