City comparison
Knoxville, TN vs Pensacola, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Pensacola, FL are 5.6% higher than in Knoxville, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Knoxville, TN would need about $105,600 in Pensacola, FL to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,257 a month in Pensacola, FL versus $1,184 in Knoxville, TN. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Pensacola, FL and 18% in Knoxville, TN.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $0 a year in TN and $0 in FL.
- 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 Pensacola, FL changes real buying power by −5.3%, purely from prices.
- Knoxville, TN: price level 92.6 (cheaper)
- Pensacola, FL: price level 97.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Knoxville, TN | Pensacola, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.6 | 97.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,561 in Pensacola | $94,732 in Knoxville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,184/mo | $1,257/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,080 | $46,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Knoxville, TN HUD Metro FMR Area and Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL MSA. Metro areas: Knoxville, TN and Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Knoxville | Pensacola |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 82.8 | 98.8 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 71.9 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 95.1 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 92.6 | 97.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Knoxville, TN → Pensacola, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.3%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
52 Fair offer
Pensacola, FL → Knoxville, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.6%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
86 Strong 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 Pensacola, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Knoxville, TN | Pensacola, FL | Real change, Knoxville → Pensacola |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −5.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −5.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −5.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −5.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −5.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Knoxville, TN | Pensacola, FL | Pensacola pay in Knoxville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,980 | $50,360 | $47,707 (−23.0%) |
| Software Developers | $121,750 | $108,430 | $102,718 (−15.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,380 | $76,410 | $72,385 (−4.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,240 | $77,890 | $73,787 (−4.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.