City comparison
Knoxville, TN vs Spartanburg, SC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Knoxville, TN are 1.7% higher than in Spartanburg, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Spartanburg, SC would need about $101,700 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 $1,083 in Spartanburg, SC. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Knoxville, TN and 17% in Spartanburg, SC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,843 a year higher in Spartanburg, SC than in Knoxville, TN.
- 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 Spartanburg, SC changes real buying power by +1.7%, purely from prices.
- Knoxville, TN: price level 92.6 (cheaper)
- Spartanburg, SC: price level 91.1 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Knoxville, TN | Spartanburg, SC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.6 | 91.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,360 in Spartanburg | $101,667 in Knoxville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,184/mo | $1,083/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,337 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $4,843 (SC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,080 | $47,650 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Knoxville, TN HUD Metro FMR Area and Spartanburg, SC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Knoxville, TN and Spartanburg, SC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Knoxville | Spartanburg |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 82.8 | 68.0 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 71.9 | 88.3 |
| Other services | 95.1 | 98.3 |
| Overall | 92.6 | 91.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Knoxville, TN → Spartanburg, SC
Roughly even
Buying power +1.7%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$4,843/yr.
74 Strong offer
Spartanburg, SC → Knoxville, TN
Roughly even
Buying power −1.6%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$4,843/yr.
64 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 Spartanburg, SC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Knoxville, TN | Spartanburg, SC | Real change, Knoxville → Spartanburg |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +1.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +1.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +1.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +1.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +1.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Knoxville, TN | Spartanburg, SC | Spartanburg pay in Knoxville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,980 | $60,990 | $62,007 (+0.0%) |
| Software Developers | $121,750 | $114,460 | $116,368 (−4.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,380 | $77,080 | $78,365 (+4.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,240 | $82,360 | $83,733 (+8.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.