City comparison
Brownsville, TX vs Knoxville, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Knoxville, TN are 7.7% higher than in Brownsville, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Brownsville, TX would need about $107,700 in Knoxville, TN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,184 a month in Knoxville, TN versus $866 in Brownsville, TX. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Knoxville, TN and 13% in Brownsville, TX.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $0 a year in TX and $0 in TN.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Brownsville, TX to Knoxville, TN changes real buying power by −7.1%, purely from prices.
- Brownsville, TX: price level 86.0 (much cheaper)
- 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
| Brownsville, TX | Knoxville, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 86.0 | 92.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,670 in Knoxville | $92,877 in Brownsville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $866/mo | $1,184/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $0 (TN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 13% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $36,490 | $47,080 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Brownsville-Harlingen, TX MSA and Knoxville, TN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Brownsville-Harlingen, TX and Knoxville, TN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Brownsville | Knoxville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 57.7 | 82.8 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 81.2 | 71.9 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 95.1 |
| Overall | 86.0 | 92.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Brownsville, TX → Knoxville, TN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.1%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
46 Fair offer
Knoxville, TN → Brownsville, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.7%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
93 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Brownsville, TX to Knoxville, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Brownsville, TX | Knoxville, TN | Real change, Brownsville → Knoxville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −7.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −7.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −7.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −7.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −7.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Brownsville, TX | Knoxville, TN | Knoxville pay in Brownsville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,350 | $61,980 | $57,565 (−9.1%) |
| Software Developers | $106,990 | $121,750 | $113,077 (+5.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $66,440 | $75,380 | $70,010 (+5.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,090 | $77,240 | $71,738 (−11.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.