City comparison
Knoxville, TN vs Sioux Falls, SD
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Knoxville, TN are 2.1% higher than in Sioux Falls, SD. Someone earning $100,000 in Sioux Falls, SD would need about $102,100 in Knoxville, TN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,184 a month in Knoxville, TN versus $986 in Sioux Falls, SD. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Knoxville, TN and 15% in Sioux Falls, SD.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $0 a year in TN and $0 in SD.
- 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 Sioux Falls, SD changes real buying power by +2.1%, purely from prices.
- Knoxville, TN: price level 92.6 (cheaper)
- Sioux Falls, SD: price level 90.6 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Knoxville, TN | Sioux Falls, SD | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.6 | 90.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,906 in Sioux Falls | $102,138 in Knoxville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,184/mo | $986/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $0 (SD) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,080 | $47,970 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Knoxville, TN HUD Metro FMR Area and Sioux Falls, SD HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Knoxville, TN and Sioux Falls, SD-MN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Knoxville | Sioux Falls |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 82.8 | 77.6 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 95.5 |
| Utilities | 71.9 | 80.7 |
| Other services | 95.1 | 91.9 |
| Overall | 92.6 | 90.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Knoxville, TN → Sioux Falls, SD
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.1%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
75 Strong offer
Sioux Falls, SD → Knoxville, TN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.1%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
62 Fair 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 Sioux Falls, SD at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Knoxville, TN | Sioux Falls, SD | Real change, Knoxville → Sioux Falls |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +2.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +2.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +2.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +2.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +2.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Knoxville, TN | Sioux Falls, SD | Sioux Falls pay in Knoxville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,980 | $50,040 | $51,110 (−17.5%) |
| Software Developers | $121,750 | $101,040 | $103,201 (−15.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,380 | $80,920 | $82,650 (+9.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,240 | $75,350 | $76,961 (−0.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.