City comparison
Knoxville, TN vs Merced, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Merced, CA are 6.2% higher than in Knoxville, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Knoxville, TN would need about $106,200 in Merced, CA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,184 a month in Knoxville, TN and $1,213 in Merced, CA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,070 a year higher in Merced, CA than in Knoxville, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +25.0% moving from Knoxville, TN to Merced, CA ($106,437 → $133,060), while prices change by +6.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +17.8% in real buying power.
- Knoxville, TN: price level 92.6 (cheaper)
- Merced, CA: price level 98.3 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Knoxville, TN | Merced, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.6 | 98.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,164 in Merced | $94,194 in Knoxville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,184/mo | $1,213/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,080 | $47,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA |
Rent areas: Knoxville, TN HUD Metro FMR Area and Merced, CA MSA. Metro areas: Knoxville, TN and Merced, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Knoxville | Merced |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 82.8 | 78.6 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 71.9 | 158.3 |
| Other services | 95.1 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 92.6 | 98.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Knoxville, TN → Merced, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.8%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$5,070/yr.
51 Fair offer
Merced, CA → Knoxville, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.2%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$5,070/yr.
88 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Knoxville, TN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Merced, CA is in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Knoxville, TN to Merced, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Knoxville, TN | Merced, CA | Real change, Knoxville → Merced |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $77,161 | +17.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $93,358 | +17.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $111,896 | +17.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $133,060 | +17.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $157,236 | +17.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Knoxville, TN | Merced, CA | Merced pay in Knoxville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,980 | $100,120 | $94,307 (+52.2%) |
| Software Developers | $121,750 | $132,120 | $124,449 (+2.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,380 | $80,420 | $75,751 (+0.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,240 | $131,620 | $123,978 (+60.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.