City comparison
Memphis, TN vs York, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in York, PA are 4.1% higher than in Memphis, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Memphis, TN would need about $104,100 in York, PA to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,154 a month in Memphis, TN versus $1,060 in York, PA. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Memphis, TN and 17% in York, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,070 a year higher in York, PA than in Memphis, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +14.4% moving from Memphis, TN to York, PA ($106,437 → $121,785), while prices change by +4.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +9.9% in real buying power.
- Memphis, TN: price level 92.2 (cheaper)
- York, PA: price level 96.0 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Memphis, TN | York, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.2 | 96.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,145 in York | $96,020 in Memphis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,154/mo | $1,060/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,890 | $48,170 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA |
Rent areas: Memphis, TN-MS-AR HUD Metro FMR Area and York-Hanover, PA MSA. Metro areas: Memphis, TN-MS-AR and York-Hanover, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Memphis | York |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.8 | 79.8 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 74.1 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 95.4 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 92.2 | 96.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Memphis, TN → York, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.0%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$3,070/yr.
56 Fair offer
York, PA → Memphis, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.1%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$3,070/yr.
82 Strong offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Memphis, TN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; York, PA is in Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Memphis, TN to York, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Memphis, TN | York, PA | Real change, Memphis → York |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $70,623 | +9.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $85,447 | +9.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $102,415 | +9.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $121,785 | +9.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $143,913 | +9.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Memphis, TN | York, PA | York pay in Memphis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $97,370 | $91,790 | $88,137 (−9.5%) |
| Software Developers | $125,580 | $114,600 | $110,039 (−12.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,960 | $75,160 | $72,168 (−6.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,500 | $96,210 | $92,381 (+13.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.