City comparison
Clarksville, TN vs Olympia, WA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Olympia, WA are 14.0% higher than in Clarksville, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Clarksville, TN would need about $114,000 in Olympia, WA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,682 a month in Olympia, WA versus $1,094 in Clarksville, TN. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Olympia, WA and 17% in Clarksville, TN.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $0 a year in TN and $0 in WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.4% moving from Clarksville, TN to Olympia, WA ($106,437 → $119,630), while prices change by +14.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.4% in real buying power.
- Clarksville, TN: price level 90.9 (much cheaper)
- Olympia, WA: price level 103.7 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Clarksville, TN | Olympia, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.9 | 103.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $113,989 in Olympia | $87,727 in Clarksville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,094/mo | $1,682/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $0 (WA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,860 | $61,960 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Seattle-Tacoma, WA |
Rent areas: Clarksville, TN-KY HUD Metro FMR Area and Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA MSA. Metro areas: Clarksville, TN-KY and Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Clarksville | Olympia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 73.8 | 116.7 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 105.0 |
| Utilities | 72.5 | 91.7 |
| Other services | 95.5 | 99.5 |
| Overall | 90.9 | 103.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Clarksville, TN → Olympia, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.3%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
37 Weak offer
Olympia, WA → Clarksville, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +14.0%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Clarksville, TN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Olympia, WA is in Seattle-Tacoma, WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Clarksville, TN to Olympia, WA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Clarksville, TN | Olympia, WA | Real change, Clarksville → Olympia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,373 | −1.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $83,935 | −1.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $100,602 | −1.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $119,630 | −1.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $141,367 | −1.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Clarksville, TN | Olympia, WA | Olympia pay in Clarksville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,760 | $104,650 | $91,807 (+53.6%) |
| Software Developers | $96,650 | $124,060 | $108,835 (+12.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $72,760 | $94,470 | $82,876 (+13.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,450 | $125,020 | $109,677 (+38.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.