City comparison
Nashville, TN vs Richmond, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Richmond, VA are 1.6% higher than in Nashville, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Nashville, TN would need about $101,600 in Richmond, VA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,578 a month in Nashville, TN and $1,507 in Richmond, VA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,936 a year higher in Richmond, VA than in Nashville, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.5% moving from Nashville, TN to Richmond, VA ($106,437 → $111,183), while prices change by +1.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.8% in real buying power.
- Nashville, TN: price level 96.3 (cheaper)
- Richmond, VA: price level 97.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Nashville, TN | Richmond, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.3 | 97.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,578 in Richmond | $98,447 in Nashville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,578/mo | $1,507/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,390 | $51,460 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Richmond, VA |
Rent areas: Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN HUD Metro FMR Area and Richmond, VA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN and Richmond, VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Nashville | Richmond |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 104.6 | 99.1 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 72.0 | 89.2 |
| Other services | 95.1 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 96.3 | 97.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Nashville, TN → Richmond, VA
Roughly even
Buying power −1.6%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$4,936/yr.
64 Fair offer
Richmond, VA → Nashville, TN
Roughly even
Buying power +1.6%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$4,936/yr.
74 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Nashville, TN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Richmond, VA is in Richmond, VA. The last column shows what a transfer from Nashville, TN to Richmond, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Nashville, TN | Richmond, VA | Real change, Nashville → Richmond |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,475 | +2.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $78,009 | +2.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,499 | +2.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,183 | +2.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,385 | +2.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Nashville, TN | Richmond, VA | Richmond pay in Nashville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,460 | $61,290 | $60,338 (−1.8%) |
| Software Developers | $126,610 | $132,120 | $130,068 (+2.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,080 | $84,220 | $82,912 (+6.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,040 | $93,580 | $92,126 (+9.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.