City comparison
Knoxville, TN vs Raleigh, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Raleigh, NC are 6.0% higher than in Knoxville, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Knoxville, TN would need about $106,000 in Raleigh, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,596 a month in Raleigh, NC versus $1,184 in Knoxville, TN. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Raleigh, NC and 18% in Knoxville, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,481 a year higher in Raleigh, NC than in Knoxville, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.4% moving from Knoxville, TN to Raleigh, NC ($106,437 → $111,147), while prices change by +6.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.5% in real buying power.
- Knoxville, TN: price level 92.6 (cheaper)
- Raleigh, NC: price level 98.2 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Knoxville, TN | Raleigh, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.6 | 98.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,037 in Raleigh | $94,307 in Knoxville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,184/mo | $1,596/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,080 | $51,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC |
Rent areas: Knoxville, TN HUD Metro FMR Area and Raleigh-Cary, NC MSA. Metro areas: Knoxville, TN and Raleigh-Cary, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Knoxville | Raleigh |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 82.8 | 103.5 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 71.9 | 89.0 |
| Other services | 95.1 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 92.6 | 98.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Knoxville, TN → Raleigh, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.7%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$3,481/yr.
51 Fair offer
Raleigh, NC → Knoxville, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.0%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$3,481/yr.
88 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Knoxville, TN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Raleigh, NC is in Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Knoxville, TN to Raleigh, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Knoxville, TN | Raleigh, NC | Real change, Knoxville → Raleigh |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,453 | −1.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $77,983 | −1.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,468 | −1.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,147 | −1.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,342 | −1.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Knoxville, TN | Raleigh, NC | Raleigh pay in Knoxville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,980 | $60,170 | $56,745 (−8.4%) |
| Software Developers | $121,750 | $132,770 | $125,212 (+2.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,380 | $81,950 | $77,285 (+2.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,240 | $84,830 | $80,001 (+3.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.