City comparison
Deltona, FL vs Knoxville, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Deltona, FL are 7.3% higher than in Knoxville, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Knoxville, TN would need about $107,300 in Deltona, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,385 a month in Deltona, FL versus $1,184 in Knoxville, TN. On $100,000, that's 21% of take-home pay in Deltona, FL and 18% in Knoxville, TN.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $0 a year in FL and $0 in 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 Deltona, FL to Knoxville, TN changes real buying power by +7.3%, purely from prices.
- Deltona, FL: price level 99.4 (about average)
- 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
| Deltona, FL | Knoxville, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 99.4 | 92.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,159 in Knoxville | $107,344 in Deltona |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,385/mo | $1,184/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $0 (TN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 21% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,940 | $47,080 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL HUD Metro FMR Area and Knoxville, TN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL and Knoxville, TN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Deltona | Knoxville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 108.4 | 82.8 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 87.6 | 71.9 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 95.1 |
| Overall | 99.4 | 92.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Deltona, FL → Knoxville, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.3%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
92 Strong offer
Knoxville, TN → Deltona, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.8%; rent takes 21% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
47 Fair 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 Deltona, FL to Knoxville, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Deltona, FL | Knoxville, TN | Real change, Deltona → Knoxville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +7.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +7.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +7.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +7.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +7.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Deltona, FL | Knoxville, TN | Knoxville pay in Deltona dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $57,770 | $61,980 | $66,532 (+15.2%) |
| Software Developers | $122,000 | $121,750 | $130,691 (+7.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $73,730 | $75,380 | $80,916 (+9.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,180 | $77,240 | $82,912 (−1.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.