City comparison
Nashville, TN vs Tucson, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Nashville, TN (96.3) and Tucson, AZ (96.9, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Nashville, TN goes as far as $100,600 in Tucson, AZ.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,578 a month in Nashville, TN versus $1,081 in Tucson, AZ. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Nashville, TN and 17% in Tucson, AZ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,291 a year higher in Tucson, AZ than in Nashville, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.9% moving from Nashville, TN to Tucson, AZ ($106,437 → $108,455), while prices change by +0.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.3% in real buying power.
- Nashville, TN: price level 96.3 (cheaper)
- Tucson, AZ: price level 96.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Nashville, TN | Tucson, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.3 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,579 in Tucson | $99,424 in Nashville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,578/mo | $1,081/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,889 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $2,291 (AZ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,390 | $47,760 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Tucson-Nogales, AZ |
Rent areas: Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN HUD Metro FMR Area and Tucson, AZ MSA. Metro areas: Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN and Tucson, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Nashville | Tucson |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 104.6 | 91.8 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 72.0 | 89.5 |
| Other services | 95.1 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 96.3 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Nashville, TN → Tucson, AZ
Roughly even
Buying power −0.6%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$2,291/yr.
67 Fair offer
Tucson, AZ → Nashville, TN
Roughly even
Buying power +0.6%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$2,291/yr.
71 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Nashville, TN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Tucson, AZ is in Tucson-Nogales, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Nashville, TN to Tucson, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Nashville, TN | Tucson, AZ | Real change, Nashville → Tucson |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,893 | +1.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $76,095 | +1.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $91,205 | +1.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $108,455 | +1.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $128,162 | +1.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Nashville, TN | Tucson, AZ | Tucson pay in Nashville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,460 | $47,220 | $46,948 (−23.6%) |
| Software Developers | $126,610 | $123,710 | $122,998 (−2.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,080 | $76,320 | $75,880 (−2.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,040 | $94,110 | $93,568 (+11.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.