City comparison
Ann Arbor, MI vs Knoxville, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Ann Arbor, MI are 9.0% higher than in Knoxville, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Knoxville, TN would need about $109,000 in Ann Arbor, MI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,387 a month in Ann Arbor, MI versus $1,184 in Knoxville, TN. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Ann Arbor, MI and 18% in Knoxville, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,999 a year higher in Ann Arbor, MI than in Knoxville, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.3% moving from Ann Arbor, MI to Knoxville, TN ($117,402 → $106,437), while prices change by −8.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.2% in real buying power.
- Ann Arbor, MI: price level 100.9 (about average)
- Knoxville, TN: price level 92.6 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Ann Arbor, MI | Knoxville, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.9 | 92.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,761 in Knoxville | $108,978 in Ann Arbor |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,387/mo | $1,184/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $0 (TN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,380 | $47,080 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Ann Arbor, MI MSA and Knoxville, TN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Ann Arbor, MI and Knoxville, TN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Ann Arbor | Knoxville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.3 | 82.8 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 98.2 | 71.9 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 95.1 |
| Overall | 100.9 | 92.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Ann Arbor, MI → Knoxville, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.0%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$3,999/yr.
97 Strong offer
Knoxville, TN → Ann Arbor, MI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.2%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$3,999/yr.
43 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Ann Arbor, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Knoxville, TN is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Ann Arbor, MI to Knoxville, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Ann Arbor, MI | Knoxville, TN | Real change, Ann Arbor → Knoxville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $61,722 | −1.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $74,678 | −1.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $89,508 | −1.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $106,437 | −1.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $125,776 | −1.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Ann Arbor, MI | Knoxville, TN | Knoxville pay in Ann Arbor dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,060 | $61,980 | $67,545 (+5.4%) |
| Software Developers | $126,830 | $121,750 | $132,681 (+4.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,040 | $75,380 | $82,148 (+2.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,450 | $77,240 | $84,175 (−18.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.