City comparison
Knoxville, TN vs Mobile, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Knoxville, TN are 5.1% higher than in Mobile, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Mobile, AL would need about $105,100 in Knoxville, TN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,184 a month in Knoxville, TN versus $919 in Mobile, AL. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Knoxville, TN and 15% in Mobile, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,735 a year higher in Mobile, AL 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 Knoxville, TN to Mobile, AL changes real buying power by +5.1%, purely from prices.
- Knoxville, TN: price level 92.6 (cheaper)
- Mobile, AL: price level 88.1 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Knoxville, TN | Mobile, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.6 | 88.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,170 in Mobile | $105,075 in Knoxville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,184/mo | $919/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,080 | $47,000 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Knoxville, TN HUD Metro FMR Area and Mobile, AL MSA. Metro areas: Knoxville, TN and Mobile, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Knoxville | Mobile |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 82.8 | 60.1 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 71.9 | 84.2 |
| Other services | 95.1 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 92.6 | 88.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Knoxville, TN → Mobile, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.1%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$4,735/yr.
85 Strong offer
Mobile, AL → Knoxville, TN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.8%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$4,735/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 Knoxville, TN to Mobile, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Knoxville, TN | Mobile, AL | Real change, Knoxville → Mobile |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Knoxville, TN | Mobile, AL | Mobile pay in Knoxville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,980 | $60,970 | $64,064 (+3.4%) |
| Software Developers | $121,750 | $122,540 | $128,759 (+5.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,380 | $72,130 | $75,791 (+0.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,240 | $79,490 | $83,524 (+8.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.