City comparison
Clarksville, TN vs Provo, UT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Provo, UT are 8.0% higher than in Clarksville, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Clarksville, TN would need about $108,000 in Provo, UT to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,265 a month in Provo, UT versus $1,094 in Clarksville, TN. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Provo, UT and 17% in Clarksville, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,534 a year higher in Provo, UT 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 Provo, UT changes real buying power by −7.4%, purely from prices.
- Clarksville, TN: price level 90.9 (much cheaper)
- Provo, UT: price level 98.2 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Clarksville, TN | Provo, UT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.9 | 98.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $108,010 in Provo | $92,584 in Clarksville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,094/mo | $1,265/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,646 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $3,534 (UT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,860 | $48,010 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Clarksville, TN-KY HUD Metro FMR Area and Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT MSA. Metro areas: Clarksville, TN-KY and Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Clarksville | Provo |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 73.8 | 104.1 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 72.5 | 78.6 |
| Other services | 95.5 | 99.0 |
| Overall | 90.9 | 98.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Clarksville, TN → Provo, UT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.4%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$3,534/yr.
46 Fair offer
Provo, UT → Clarksville, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.0%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$3,534/yr.
94 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 Provo, UT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Clarksville, TN | Provo, UT | Real change, Clarksville → Provo |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −7.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −7.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −7.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −7.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −7.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Clarksville, TN | Provo, UT | Provo pay in Clarksville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,760 | $62,930 | $58,263 (−2.5%) |
| Software Developers | $96,650 | $131,210 | $121,479 (+25.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $72,760 | $75,700 | $70,086 (−3.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,450 | $81,780 | $75,715 (−4.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.