City comparison
Lubbock, TX vs Memphis, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Lubbock, TX (91.3) and Memphis, TN (92.2, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Lubbock, TX goes as far as $100,900 in Memphis, TN.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,154 a month in Memphis, TN versus $990 in Lubbock, TX. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Memphis, TN and 15% in Lubbock, TX.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $0 a year in TX and $0 in 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 Lubbock, TX to Memphis, TN changes real buying power by −0.9%, purely from prices.
- Lubbock, TX: price level 91.3 (much 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
| Lubbock, TX | Memphis, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.3 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,944 in Memphis | $99,065 in Lubbock |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $990/mo | $1,154/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $0 (TN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $42,130 | $46,890 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Lubbock, TX HUD Metro FMR Area and Memphis, TN-MS-AR HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Lubbock, TX and Memphis, TN-MS-AR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lubbock | Memphis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.4 | 79.8 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 82.8 | 74.1 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 95.4 |
| Overall | 91.3 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lubbock, TX → Memphis, TN
Roughly even
Buying power −0.9%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
66 Fair offer
Memphis, TN → Lubbock, TX
Roughly even
Buying power +0.9%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
72 Strong 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 Lubbock, TX to Memphis, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lubbock, TX | Memphis, TN | Real change, Lubbock → Memphis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −0.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −0.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −0.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −0.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −0.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lubbock, TX | Memphis, TN | Memphis pay in Lubbock dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $98,480 | $97,370 | $96,459 (−2.1%) |
| Software Developers | $115,190 | $125,580 | $124,406 (+8.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $74,390 | $76,960 | $76,240 (+2.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,480 | $81,500 | $80,738 (−0.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.