City comparison
Greeley, CO vs Knoxville, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Greeley, CO are 8.2% higher than in Knoxville, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Knoxville, TN would need about $108,200 in Greeley, CO to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,238 a month in Greeley, CO and $1,184 in Knoxville, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,692 a year higher in Greeley, CO than in Knoxville, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.3% moving from Greeley, CO to Knoxville, TN ($118,675 → $106,437), while prices change by −7.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.9% in real buying power.
- Greeley, CO: price level 100.2 (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
| Greeley, CO | Knoxville, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.2 | 92.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,406 in Knoxville | $108,218 in Greeley |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,238/mo | $1,184/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $0 (TN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,070 | $47,080 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Greeley, CO MSA and Knoxville, TN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Greeley, CO and Knoxville, TN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Greeley | Knoxville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 112.6 | 82.8 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 82.0 | 71.9 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 95.1 |
| Overall | 100.2 | 92.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Greeley, CO → Knoxville, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.2%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$3,692/yr.
94 Strong offer
Knoxville, TN → Greeley, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.6%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$3,692/yr.
45 Fair offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Greeley, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Knoxville, TN is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Greeley, CO to Knoxville, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Greeley, CO | Knoxville, TN | Real change, Greeley → Knoxville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $61,722 | −2.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $74,678 | −2.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $89,508 | −2.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $106,437 | −2.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $125,776 | −2.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Greeley, CO | Knoxville, TN | Knoxville pay in Greeley dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $120,780 | $102,210 | $110,609 (−8.4%) |
| Software Developers | $129,480 | $121,750 | $131,755 (+1.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $87,240 | $75,380 | $81,574 (−6.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,300 | $77,240 | $83,587 (−13.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.