City comparison
Clarksville, TN vs Detroit, MI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Detroit, MI are 10.3% higher than in Clarksville, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Clarksville, TN would need about $110,300 in Detroit, MI to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,094 a month in Clarksville, TN and $1,122 in Detroit, MI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,999 a year higher in Detroit, MI than in Clarksville, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +10.3% moving from Clarksville, TN to Detroit, MI ($106,437 → $117,402), while prices change by +10.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.0% in real buying power.
- Clarksville, TN: price level 90.9 (much cheaper)
- Detroit, MI: price level 100.3 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Clarksville, TN | Detroit, MI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.9 | 100.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $110,282 in Detroit | $90,677 in Clarksville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,094/mo | $1,122/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,181 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $3,999 (MI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,860 | $52,080 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI |
Rent areas: Clarksville, TN-KY HUD Metro FMR Area and Detroit-Warren-Livonia, MI HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Clarksville, TN-KY and Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Clarksville | Detroit |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 73.8 | 94.7 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 98.8 |
| Utilities | 72.5 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 95.5 | 102.6 |
| Overall | 90.9 | 100.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Clarksville, TN → Detroit, MI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.3%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$3,999/yr.
40 Weak offer
Detroit, MI → Clarksville, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.3%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$3,999/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Clarksville, TN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Detroit, MI is in Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI. The last column shows what a transfer from Clarksville, TN to Detroit, MI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Clarksville, TN | Detroit, MI | Real change, Clarksville → Detroit |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $68,081 | +0.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $82,372 | +0.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $98,729 | +0.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $117,402 | +0.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $138,734 | +0.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Clarksville, TN | Detroit, MI | Detroit pay in Clarksville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,760 | $65,210 | $59,130 (−1.1%) |
| Software Developers | $96,650 | $130,760 | $118,569 (+22.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $72,760 | $80,650 | $73,131 (+0.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,450 | $97,280 | $88,210 (+11.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.