City comparison
Knoxville, TN vs Syracuse, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Syracuse, NY are 3.4% higher than in Knoxville, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Knoxville, TN would need about $103,400 in Syracuse, NY to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,184 a month in Knoxville, TN versus $1,123 in Syracuse, NY. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Knoxville, TN and 18% in Syracuse, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,860 a year higher in Syracuse, NY 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 Syracuse, NY changes real buying power by −3.3%, purely from prices.
- Knoxville, TN: price level 92.6 (cheaper)
- Syracuse, NY: price level 95.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Knoxville, TN | Syracuse, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.6 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,428 in Syracuse | $96,686 in Knoxville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,184/mo | $1,123/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,080 | $52,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Knoxville, TN HUD Metro FMR Area and Syracuse, NY MSA. Metro areas: Knoxville, TN and Syracuse, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Knoxville | Syracuse |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 82.8 | 80.7 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 71.9 | 133.4 |
| Other services | 95.1 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 92.6 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Knoxville, TN → Syracuse, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.3%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$4,860/yr.
58 Fair offer
Syracuse, NY → Knoxville, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.4%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$4,860/yr.
79 Strong 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 Syracuse, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Knoxville, TN | Syracuse, NY | Real change, Knoxville → Syracuse |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −3.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −3.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −3.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −3.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −3.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Knoxville, TN | Syracuse, NY | Syracuse pay in Knoxville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,980 | $78,560 | $75,956 (+22.5%) |
| Software Developers | $121,750 | $129,100 | $124,821 (+2.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,380 | $82,230 | $79,505 (+5.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,240 | $86,960 | $84,078 (+8.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.