City comparison
Columbus, OH vs Knoxville, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Columbus, OH are 3.1% higher than in Knoxville, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Knoxville, TN would need about $103,100 in Columbus, OH to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,194 a month in Columbus, OH and $1,184 in Knoxville, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,968 a year higher in Columbus, OH than in Knoxville, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Columbus, OH to Knoxville, TN ($111,065 → $106,437), while prices change by −3.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.2% in real buying power.
- Columbus, OH: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Knoxville, TN: price level 92.6 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Columbus, OH | Knoxville, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 92.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,962 in Knoxville | $103,133 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,194/mo | $1,184/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $0 (TN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,340 | $47,080 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Knoxville, TN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbus, OH and Knoxville, TN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Knoxville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.9 | 82.8 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 95.5 | 71.9 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 95.1 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 92.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, OH → Knoxville, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.1%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$1,968/yr.
79 Strong offer
Knoxville, TN → Columbus, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.0%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$1,968/yr.
59 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, OH is in the Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH pay area; Knoxville, TN is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, OH to Knoxville, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, OH | Knoxville, TN | Real change, Columbus → Knoxville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,406 | $61,722 | −1.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,926 | $74,678 | −1.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,400 | $89,508 | −1.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,065 | $106,437 | −1.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,245 | $125,776 | −1.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, OH | Knoxville, TN | Knoxville pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,150 | $61,980 | $63,922 (−18.2%) |
| Software Developers | $122,340 | $121,750 | $125,564 (+2.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,700 | $75,380 | $77,742 (−4.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,900 | $77,240 | $79,660 (−5.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.