City comparison
Nashville, TN vs Raleigh, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Raleigh, NC are 1.9% higher than in Nashville, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Nashville, TN would need about $101,900 in Raleigh, NC to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,578 a month in Nashville, TN and $1,596 in Raleigh, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,481 a year higher in Raleigh, NC than in Nashville, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.4% moving from Nashville, TN to Raleigh, NC ($106,437 → $111,147), while prices change by +1.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.5% in real buying power.
- Nashville, TN: price level 96.3 (cheaper)
- Raleigh, NC: price level 98.2 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Nashville, TN | Raleigh, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.3 | 98.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,888 in Raleigh | $98,147 in Nashville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,578/mo | $1,596/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,390 | $51,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC |
Rent areas: Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN HUD Metro FMR Area and Raleigh-Cary, NC MSA. Metro areas: Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN and Raleigh-Cary, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Nashville | Raleigh |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 104.6 | 103.5 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 72.0 | 89.0 |
| Other services | 95.1 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 96.3 | 98.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Nashville, TN → Raleigh, NC
Roughly even
Buying power −1.9%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$3,481/yr.
63 Fair offer
Raleigh, NC → Nashville, TN
Roughly even
Buying power +1.9%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$3,481/yr.
75 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Nashville, TN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Raleigh, NC is in Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Nashville, TN to Raleigh, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Nashville, TN | Raleigh, NC | Real change, Nashville → Raleigh |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,453 | +2.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $77,983 | +2.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,468 | +2.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,147 | +2.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,342 | +2.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Nashville, TN | Raleigh, NC | Raleigh pay in Nashville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,460 | $60,170 | $59,055 (−3.9%) |
| Software Developers | $126,610 | $132,770 | $130,310 (+2.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,080 | $81,950 | $80,431 (+3.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,040 | $84,830 | $83,258 (−0.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.