City comparison
Green Bay, WI vs Memphis, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Green Bay, WI (93.1) and Memphis, TN (92.2, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Green Bay, WI goes as far as $99,000 in Memphis, TN.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,154 a month in Memphis, TN versus $931 in Green Bay, WI. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Memphis, TN and 15% in Green Bay, WI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,919 a year higher in Green Bay, WI than in Memphis, 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 Green Bay, WI to Memphis, TN changes real buying power by +1.0%, purely from prices.
- Green Bay, WI: price level 93.1 (cheaper)
- Memphis, TN: price level 92.2 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Green Bay, WI | Memphis, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.1 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,026 in Memphis | $100,984 in Green Bay |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $931/mo | $1,154/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,261 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,919 (WI) | $0 (TN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,940 | $46,890 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Green Bay, WI HUD Metro FMR Area and Memphis, TN-MS-AR HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Green Bay, WI and Memphis, TN-MS-AR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Green Bay | Memphis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 74.7 | 79.8 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 90.0 | 74.1 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 95.4 |
| Overall | 93.1 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Green Bay, WI → Memphis, TN
Roughly even
Buying power +1.0%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$3,919/yr.
72 Strong offer
Memphis, TN → Green Bay, WI
Roughly even
Buying power −1.0%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$3,919/yr.
66 Fair offer
Federal employees: GS pay
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 Green Bay, WI to Memphis, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Green Bay, WI | Memphis, TN | Real change, Green Bay → Memphis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +1.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +1.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +1.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +1.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +1.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Green Bay, WI | Memphis, TN | Memphis pay in Green Bay dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $78,330 | $97,370 | $98,328 (+25.5%) |
| Software Developers | $103,160 | $125,580 | $126,816 (+22.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,720 | $76,960 | $77,717 (−0.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,700 | $81,500 | $82,302 (−2.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.