City comparison
Jacksonville, FL vs Knoxville, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Jacksonville, FL are 7.5% higher than in Knoxville, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Knoxville, TN would need about $107,500 in Jacksonville, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,382 a month in Jacksonville, FL versus $1,184 in Knoxville, TN. On $100,000, that's 21% of take-home pay in Jacksonville, 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 Jacksonville, FL to Knoxville, TN changes real buying power by +7.5%, purely from prices.
- Jacksonville, FL: price level 99.5 (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
| Jacksonville, FL | Knoxville, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 99.5 | 92.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,049 in Knoxville | $107,470 in Jacksonville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,382/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 | $48,830 | $47,080 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Jacksonville, FL HUD Metro FMR Area and Knoxville, TN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Jacksonville, FL and Knoxville, TN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Jacksonville | Knoxville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 109.8 | 82.8 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 87.5 | 71.9 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 95.1 |
| Overall | 99.5 | 92.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Jacksonville, FL → Knoxville, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.5%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
92 Strong offer
Knoxville, TN → Jacksonville, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.0%; 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 Jacksonville, FL to Knoxville, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Jacksonville, FL | Knoxville, TN | Real change, Jacksonville → Knoxville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +7.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +7.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +7.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +7.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +7.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Jacksonville, FL | Knoxville, TN | Knoxville pay in Jacksonville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,080 | $61,980 | $66,610 (+9.1%) |
| Software Developers | $130,330 | $121,750 | $130,845 (+0.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,960 | $75,380 | $81,011 (+1.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,520 | $77,240 | $83,010 (−0.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.