City comparison
Louisville, KY vs Memphis, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Louisville, KY (93.1) and Memphis, TN (92.2, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Louisville, KY goes as far as $99,000 in Memphis, TN.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,154 a month in Memphis, TN versus $1,047 in Louisville, KY. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Memphis, TN and 17% in Louisville, KY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,382 a year higher in Louisville, KY than in Memphis, 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 Louisville, KY to Memphis, TN changes real buying power by +1.0%, purely from prices.
- Louisville, KY: price level 93.1 (cheaper)
- Memphis, TN: price level 92.2 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Louisville, KY | Memphis, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.1 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,038 in Memphis | $100,971 in Louisville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,047/mo | $1,154/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,798 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,382 (KY) | $0 (TN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,370 | $46,890 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Louisville, KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Memphis, TN-MS-AR HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN and Memphis, TN-MS-AR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Louisville | Memphis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 78.6 | 79.8 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 75.0 | 74.1 |
| Other services | 96.8 | 95.4 |
| Overall | 93.1 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Louisville, KY → Memphis, TN
Roughly even
Buying power +1.0%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$3,382/yr.
72 Strong offer
Memphis, TN → Louisville, KY
Roughly even
Buying power −1.0%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$3,382/yr.
66 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 Louisville, KY to Memphis, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Louisville, KY | Memphis, TN | Real change, Louisville → Memphis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +1.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +1.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +1.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +1.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +1.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Louisville, KY | Memphis, TN | Memphis pay in Louisville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,610 | $61,510 | $62,107 (+0.8%) |
| Software Developers | $110,270 | $125,580 | $126,799 (+15.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,320 | $76,960 | $77,707 (+1.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,850 | $81,500 | $82,291 (−3.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.