City comparison
Clarksville, TN vs Visalia, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Visalia, CA are 9.8% higher than in Clarksville, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Clarksville, TN would need about $109,800 in Visalia, CA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,094 a month in Clarksville, TN and $1,123 in Visalia, CA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,070 a year higher in Visalia, CA than in Clarksville, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.5% moving from Clarksville, TN to Visalia, CA ($106,437 → $106,973), while prices change by +9.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −8.4% in real buying power.
- Clarksville, TN: price level 90.9 (much cheaper)
- Visalia, CA: price level 99.8 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Clarksville, TN | Visalia, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.9 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $109,762 in Visalia | $91,106 in Clarksville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,094/mo | $1,123/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% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,860 | $45,130 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA |
Rent areas: Clarksville, TN-KY HUD Metro FMR Area and Visalia, CA MSA. Metro areas: Clarksville, TN-KY and Visalia, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Clarksville | Visalia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 73.8 | 84.1 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 72.5 | 156.4 |
| Other services | 95.5 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 90.9 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Clarksville, TN → Visalia, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.9%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$5,070/yr.
41 Weak offer
Visalia, CA → Clarksville, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.8%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$5,070/yr.
99 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Clarksville, TN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Visalia, CA is in Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Clarksville, TN to Visalia, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Clarksville, TN | Visalia, CA | Real change, Clarksville → Visalia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,033 | −8.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,055 | −8.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,959 | −8.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,973 | −8.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $126,410 | −8.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Clarksville, TN | Visalia, CA | Visalia pay in Clarksville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,760 | $98,430 | $89,676 (+50.1%) |
| Software Developers | $96,650 | $126,170 | $114,949 (+18.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $72,760 | $79,400 | $72,339 (−0.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,450 | $125,180 | $114,047 (+43.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.