City comparison
Knoxville, TN vs Waco, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Knoxville, TN (92.6) and Waco, TX (92.5, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Knoxville, TN goes as far as $100,000 in Waco, TX.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,184 a month in Knoxville, TN versus $996 in Waco, TX. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Knoxville, TN and 15% in Waco, TX.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $0 a year in TN and $0 in TX.
- 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 Waco, TX changes real buying power by +0.0%, purely from prices.
- Knoxville, TN: price level 92.6 (cheaper)
- Waco, TX: price level 92.5 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Knoxville, TN | Waco, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.6 | 92.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,979 in Waco | $100,021 in Knoxville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,184/mo | $996/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,080 | $46,020 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Knoxville, TN HUD Metro FMR Area and Waco, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Knoxville, TN and Waco, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Knoxville | Waco |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 82.8 | 83.5 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 71.9 | 81.0 |
| Other services | 95.1 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 92.6 | 92.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Knoxville, TN → Waco, TX
Roughly even
Buying power +0.0%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
69 Fair offer
Waco, TX → Knoxville, TN
Roughly even
Buying power −0.0%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
69 Fair offer
Federal employees: GS pay
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 Waco, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Knoxville, TN | Waco, TX | Real change, Knoxville → Waco |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +0.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +0.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +0.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +0.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +0.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Knoxville, TN | Waco, TX | Waco pay in Knoxville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $102,210 | not published | — |
| Software Developers | $121,750 | $123,080 | $123,105 (+1.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,380 | $76,140 | $76,156 (+1.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,240 | $92,890 | $92,909 (+20.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.