City comparison
Jackson, MS vs Knoxville, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Knoxville, TN are 4.0% higher than in Jackson, MS. Someone earning $100,000 in Jackson, MS would need about $104,000 in Knoxville, TN to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,184 a month in Knoxville, TN versus $1,097 in Jackson, MS. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Knoxville, TN and 17% in Jackson, MS.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,268 a year higher in Jackson, MS than in Knoxville, 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 Jackson, MS to Knoxville, TN changes real buying power by −3.8%, purely from prices.
- Jackson, MS: price level 89.0 (much 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
| Jackson, MS | Knoxville, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.0 | 92.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,954 in Knoxville | $96,196 in Jackson |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,097/mo | $1,184/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,912 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,268 (MS) | $0 (TN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $42,850 | $47,080 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Jackson, MS HUD Metro FMR Area and Knoxville, TN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Jackson, MS and Knoxville, TN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Jackson | Knoxville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 64.8 | 82.8 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 78.1 | 71.9 |
| Other services | 96.1 | 95.1 |
| Overall | 89.0 | 92.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Jackson, MS → Knoxville, TN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.8%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$3,268/yr.
57 Fair offer
Knoxville, TN → Jackson, MS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.0%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$3,268/yr.
81 Strong 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 Jackson, MS to Knoxville, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Jackson, MS | Knoxville, TN | Real change, Jackson → Knoxville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −3.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −3.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −3.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −3.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −3.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Jackson, MS | Knoxville, TN | Knoxville pay in Jackson dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $90,460 | $102,210 | $98,322 (+8.7%) |
| Software Developers | $96,990 | $121,750 | $117,119 (+20.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $70,720 | $75,380 | $72,513 (+2.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,630 | $77,240 | $74,302 (−10.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.