City comparison
Charlotte, NC vs Knoxville, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Charlotte, NC are 5.2% higher than in Knoxville, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Knoxville, TN would need about $105,200 in Charlotte, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,538 a month in Charlotte, NC versus $1,184 in Knoxville, TN. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Charlotte, NC and 18% in Knoxville, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,481 a year higher in Charlotte, NC than in Knoxville, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.2% moving from Charlotte, NC to Knoxville, TN ($108,810 → $106,437), while prices change by −4.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.9% in real buying power.
- Charlotte, NC: price level 97.3 (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
| Charlotte, NC | Knoxville, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.3 | 92.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,091 in Knoxville | $105,163 in Charlotte |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,538/mo | $1,184/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $0 (TN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,990 | $47,080 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Knoxville, TN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC and Knoxville, TN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charlotte | Knoxville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 97.6 | 82.8 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 89.2 | 71.9 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 95.1 |
| Overall | 97.3 | 92.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charlotte, NC → Knoxville, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.2%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$3,481/yr.
85 Strong offer
Knoxville, TN → Charlotte, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.9%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$3,481/yr.
53 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Charlotte, NC is in the Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC pay area; Knoxville, TN is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Charlotte, NC to Knoxville, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charlotte, NC | Knoxville, TN | Real change, Charlotte → Knoxville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,098 | $61,722 | +2.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,343 | $74,678 | +2.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,503 | $89,508 | +2.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,810 | $106,437 | +2.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,581 | $125,776 | +2.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charlotte, NC | Knoxville, TN | Knoxville pay in Charlotte dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,680 | $61,980 | $65,180 (+11.1%) |
| Software Developers | $135,920 | $121,750 | $128,036 (−5.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,910 | $75,380 | $79,272 (−14.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $90,620 | $77,240 | $81,228 (−10.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.