City comparison
Knoxville, TN vs Washington, DC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Washington, DC are 17.6% higher than in Knoxville, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Knoxville, TN would need about $117,600 in Washington, DC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,015 a month in Washington, DC versus $1,184 in Knoxville, TN. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Washington, DC and 18% in Knoxville, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,532 a year higher in Washington, DC than in Knoxville, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +14.4% moving from Knoxville, TN to Washington, DC ($106,437 → $121,785), while prices change by +17.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.7% in real buying power.
- Knoxville, TN: price level 92.6 (cheaper)
- Washington, DC: price level 108.9 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Knoxville, TN | Washington, DC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.6 | 108.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $117,625 in Washington | $85,016 in Knoxville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,184/mo | $2,015/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $73,649 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $5,532 (DC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 33% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,080 | $71,060 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA |
Rent areas: Knoxville, TN HUD Metro FMR Area and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Knoxville, TN and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Knoxville | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 82.8 | 151.1 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 104.8 |
| Utilities | 71.9 | 106.7 |
| Other services | 95.1 | 102.3 |
| Overall | 92.6 | 108.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Knoxville, TN → Washington, DC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −15.0%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax +$5,532/yr.
26 Weak offer
Washington, DC → Knoxville, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +17.6%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$5,532/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Knoxville, TN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Washington, DC is in Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Knoxville, TN to Washington, DC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Knoxville, TN | Washington, DC | Real change, Knoxville → Washington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $70,623 | −2.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $85,447 | −2.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $102,415 | −2.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $121,785 | −2.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $143,913 | −2.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Knoxville, TN | Washington, DC | Washington pay in Knoxville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,980 | $79,470 | $67,562 (+9.0%) |
| Software Developers | $121,750 | $154,930 | $131,716 (+8.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,380 | $102,140 | $86,836 (+15.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,240 | $102,710 | $87,320 (+13.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.