City comparison
Boston, MA vs Memphis, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boston, MA are 17.5% higher than in Memphis, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Memphis, TN would need about $117,500 in Boston, MA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,476 a month in Boston, MA versus $1,154 in Memphis, TN. On $100,000, that's 40% of take-home pay in Boston, MA and 17% in Memphis, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,780 a year higher in Boston, MA than in Memphis, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −11.7% moving from Boston, MA to Memphis, TN ($120,548 → $106,437), while prices change by −14.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.7% in real buying power.
- Boston, MA: price level 108.3 (much pricier)
- Memphis, TN: price level 92.2 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Boston, MA | Memphis, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 108.3 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $85,141 in Memphis | $117,452 in Boston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,476/mo | $1,154/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,400 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,780 (MA) | $0 (TN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 40% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $66,620 | $46,890 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH HUD Metro FMR Area and Memphis, TN-MS-AR HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH and Memphis, TN-MS-AR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boston | Memphis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 148.4 | 79.8 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 148.8 | 74.1 |
| Other services | 103.6 | 95.4 |
| Overall | 108.3 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boston, MA → Memphis, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +17.5%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$4,780/yr.
100 Strong offer
Memphis, TN → Boston, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −14.9%; rent takes 40% of take-home; state tax +$4,780/yr.
15 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boston, MA is in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT pay area; Memphis, TN is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Boston, MA to Memphis, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boston, MA | Memphis, TN | Real change, Boston → Memphis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $61,722 | +3.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $74,678 | +3.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $89,508 | +3.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $106,437 | +3.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $125,776 | +3.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boston, MA | Memphis, TN | Memphis pay in Boston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $98,060 | $61,510 | $72,245 (−26.3%) |
| Software Developers | $166,090 | $125,580 | $147,496 (−11.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $100,150 | $76,960 | $90,391 (−9.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $106,180 | $81,500 | $95,723 (−9.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.