City comparison
Knoxville, TN vs Providence, RI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Providence, RI are 9.9% higher than in Knoxville, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Knoxville, TN would need about $109,900 in Providence, RI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,402 a month in Providence, RI versus $1,184 in Knoxville, TN. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Providence, RI and 18% in Knoxville, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,148 a year higher in Providence, RI than in Knoxville, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +13.3% moving from Knoxville, TN to Providence, RI ($106,437 → $120,548), while prices change by +9.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.0% in real buying power.
- Knoxville, TN: price level 92.6 (cheaper)
- Providence, RI: price level 101.8 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Knoxville, TN | Providence, RI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.6 | 101.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $109,943 in Providence | $90,956 in Knoxville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,184/mo | $1,402/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,032 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $3,148 (RI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,080 | $53,680 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Knoxville, TN HUD Metro FMR Area and Providence-Fall River, RI-MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Knoxville, TN and Providence-Warwick, RI-MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Knoxville | Providence |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 82.8 | 103.9 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 97.1 |
| Utilities | 71.9 | 148.8 |
| Other services | 95.1 | 102.3 |
| Overall | 92.6 | 101.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Knoxville, TN → Providence, RI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.0%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$3,148/yr.
40 Weak offer
Providence, RI → Knoxville, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.9%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$3,148/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Knoxville, TN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Providence, RI is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Knoxville, TN to Providence, RI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Knoxville, TN | Providence, RI | Real change, Knoxville → Providence |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,905 | +3.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,579 | +3.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $101,375 | +3.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,548 | +3.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $142,452 | +3.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Knoxville, TN | Providence, RI | Providence pay in Knoxville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,980 | $86,720 | $78,877 (+27.3%) |
| Software Developers | $121,750 | $130,690 | $118,871 (−2.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,380 | $95,020 | $86,427 (+14.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,240 | $99,880 | $90,847 (+17.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.