City comparison
Kennewick, WA vs Savannah, GA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Kennewick, WA are 5.1% higher than in Savannah, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Savannah, GA would need about $105,100 in Kennewick, WA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,533 a month in Savannah, GA versus $1,268 in Kennewick, WA. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Savannah, GA and 19% in Kennewick, WA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,567 a year higher in Savannah, GA than in Kennewick, WA.
- 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 Kennewick, WA to Savannah, GA changes real buying power by +5.1%, purely from prices.
- Kennewick, WA: price level 100.1 (about average)
- Savannah, GA: price level 95.2 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Kennewick, WA | Savannah, GA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.1 | 95.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,131 in Savannah | $105,118 in Kennewick |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,268/mo | $1,533/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,613 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (WA) | $4,567 (GA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $57,290 | $47,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Kennewick-Richland, WA MSA and Savannah, GA MSA. Metro areas: Kennewick-Richland, WA and Savannah, GA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Kennewick | Savannah |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 94.8 | 86.0 |
| Goods | 105.0 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 93.6 | 88.6 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 98.7 |
| Overall | 100.1 | 95.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Kennewick, WA → Savannah, GA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.1%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$4,567/yr.
85 Strong offer
Savannah, GA → Kennewick, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.9%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$4,567/yr.
54 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 Kennewick, WA to Savannah, GA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Kennewick, WA | Savannah, GA | Real change, Kennewick → Savannah |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +5.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +5.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +5.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +5.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +5.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Kennewick, WA | Savannah, GA | Savannah pay in Kennewick dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $100,380 | $63,710 | $66,971 (−33.3%) |
| Software Developers | $127,800 | $123,220 | $129,527 (+1.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $93,280 | $79,790 | $83,874 (−10.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $106,410 | $86,760 | $91,201 (−14.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.