City comparison
Clarksville, TN vs Merced, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Merced, CA are 8.1% higher than in Clarksville, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Clarksville, TN would need about $108,100 in Merced, CA to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,213 a month in Merced, CA versus $1,094 in Clarksville, TN. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Merced, CA and 17% in Clarksville, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,070 a year higher in Merced, CA than in Clarksville, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +25.0% moving from Clarksville, TN to Merced, CA ($106,437 → $133,060), while prices change by +8.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +15.7% in real buying power.
- Clarksville, TN: price level 90.9 (much cheaper)
- Merced, CA: price level 98.3 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Clarksville, TN | Merced, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.9 | 98.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $108,057 in Merced | $92,543 in Clarksville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,094/mo | $1,213/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,860 | $47,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA |
Rent areas: Clarksville, TN-KY HUD Metro FMR Area and Merced, CA MSA. Metro areas: Clarksville, TN-KY and Merced, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Clarksville | Merced |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 73.8 | 78.6 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 72.5 | 158.3 |
| Other services | 95.5 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 90.9 | 98.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Clarksville, TN → Merced, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.5%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$5,070/yr.
45 Fair offer
Merced, CA → Clarksville, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.1%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$5,070/yr.
94 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Clarksville, TN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Merced, CA is in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Clarksville, TN to Merced, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Clarksville, TN | Merced, CA | Real change, Clarksville → Merced |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $77,161 | +15.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $93,358 | +15.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $111,896 | +15.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $133,060 | +15.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $157,236 | +15.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Clarksville, TN | Merced, CA | Merced pay in Clarksville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,760 | $100,120 | $92,654 (+55.0%) |
| Software Developers | $96,650 | $132,120 | $122,268 (+26.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $72,760 | $80,420 | $74,423 (+2.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,450 | $131,620 | $121,806 (+53.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.