City comparison
Knoxville, TN vs Omaha, NE
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Knoxville, TN (92.6) and Omaha, NE (91.9, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Knoxville, TN goes as far as $99,300 in Omaha, NE.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,184 a month in Knoxville, TN and $1,148 in Omaha, NE.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,670 a year higher in Omaha, NE than in Knoxville, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.0% moving from Knoxville, TN to Omaha, NE ($106,437 → $107,501), while prices change by −0.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.7% in real buying power.
- Knoxville, TN: price level 92.6 (cheaper)
- Omaha, NE: price level 91.9 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Knoxville, TN | Omaha, NE | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.6 | 91.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,289 in Omaha | $100,716 in Knoxville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,184/mo | $1,148/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,510 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $3,670 (NE) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,080 | $49,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA |
Rent areas: Knoxville, TN HUD Metro FMR Area and Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Knoxville, TN and Omaha, NE-IA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Knoxville | Omaha |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 82.8 | 86.4 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 71.9 | 76.4 |
| Other services | 95.1 | 93.0 |
| Overall | 92.6 | 91.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Knoxville, TN → Omaha, NE
Roughly even
Buying power +0.7%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$3,670/yr.
71 Strong offer
Omaha, NE → Knoxville, TN
Roughly even
Buying power −0.7%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$3,670/yr.
67 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Knoxville, TN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Omaha, NE is in Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA. The last column shows what a transfer from Knoxville, TN to Omaha, NE at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Knoxville, TN | Omaha, NE | Real change, Knoxville → Omaha |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,339 | +1.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,425 | +1.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,402 | +1.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $107,501 | +1.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $127,033 | +1.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Knoxville, TN | Omaha, NE | Omaha pay in Knoxville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,980 | $62,670 | $63,119 (+1.8%) |
| Software Developers | $121,750 | $125,220 | $126,116 (+3.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,380 | $77,030 | $77,581 (+2.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,240 | $84,600 | $85,206 (+10.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.