City comparison
Cincinnati, OH vs Memphis, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Cincinnati, OH are 3.5% higher than in Memphis, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Memphis, TN would need about $103,500 in Cincinnati, OH to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,154 a month in Memphis, TN versus $1,051 in Cincinnati, OH. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Memphis, TN and 16% in Cincinnati, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,968 a year higher in Cincinnati, OH than in Memphis, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.0% moving from Cincinnati, OH to Memphis, TN ($110,865 → $106,437), while prices change by −3.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.7% in real buying power.
- Cincinnati, OH: price level 95.4 (cheaper)
- 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
| Cincinnati, OH | Memphis, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.4 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,654 in Memphis | $103,462 in Cincinnati |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,051/mo | $1,154/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $0 (TN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,170 | $46,890 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Memphis, TN-MS-AR HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN and Memphis, TN-MS-AR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cincinnati | Memphis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.6 | 79.8 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 91.0 | 74.1 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 95.4 |
| Overall | 95.4 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cincinnati, OH → Memphis, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.5%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,968/yr.
80 Strong offer
Memphis, TN → Cincinnati, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.3%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$1,968/yr.
58 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cincinnati, OH is in the Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN pay area; Memphis, TN is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Cincinnati, OH to Memphis, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cincinnati, OH | Memphis, TN | Real change, Cincinnati → Memphis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,290 | $61,722 | −0.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,785 | $74,678 | −0.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,231 | $89,508 | −0.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,865 | $106,437 | −0.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,009 | $125,776 | −0.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cincinnati, OH | Memphis, TN | Memphis pay in Cincinnati dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,740 | $61,510 | $63,639 (−1.7%) |
| Software Developers | $121,420 | $125,580 | $129,927 (+7.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,640 | $76,960 | $79,624 (−1.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,650 | $81,500 | $84,321 (+0.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.