City comparison
Knoxville, TN vs Philadelphia, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Philadelphia, PA are 10.8% higher than in Knoxville, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Knoxville, TN would need about $110,800 in Philadelphia, PA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,520 a month in Philadelphia, PA versus $1,184 in Knoxville, TN. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Philadelphia, PA and 18% in Knoxville, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,070 a year higher in Philadelphia, PA than in Knoxville, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +10.2% moving from Knoxville, TN to Philadelphia, PA ($106,437 → $117,284), while prices change by +10.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.5% in real buying power.
- Knoxville, TN: price level 92.6 (cheaper)
- Philadelphia, PA: price level 102.6 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Knoxville, TN | Philadelphia, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.6 | 102.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $110,787 in Philadelphia | $90,264 in Knoxville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,184/mo | $1,520/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,080 | $54,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD |
Rent areas: Knoxville, TN HUD Metro FMR Area and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD MSA. Metro areas: Knoxville, TN and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Knoxville | Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 82.8 | 113.1 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 71.9 | 114.4 |
| Other services | 95.1 | 103.1 |
| Overall | 92.6 | 102.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Knoxville, TN → Philadelphia, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.7%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$3,070/yr.
38 Weak offer
Philadelphia, PA → Knoxville, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.8%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$3,070/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Knoxville, TN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Philadelphia, PA is in Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD. The last column shows what a transfer from Knoxville, TN to Philadelphia, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Knoxville, TN | Philadelphia, PA | Real change, Knoxville → Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $68,013 | −0.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $82,289 | −0.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $98,630 | −0.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $117,284 | −0.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $138,595 | −0.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Knoxville, TN | Philadelphia, PA | Philadelphia pay in Knoxville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,980 | $78,570 | $70,920 (+14.4%) |
| Software Developers | $121,750 | $133,040 | $120,087 (−1.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,380 | $85,990 | $77,618 (+3.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,240 | $101,180 | $91,329 (+18.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.