City comparison
Cleveland, OH vs Knoxville, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Cleveland, OH are 1.5% higher than in Knoxville, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Knoxville, TN would need about $101,500 in Cleveland, OH to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,184 a month in Knoxville, TN versus $1,058 in Cleveland, OH. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Knoxville, TN and 16% in Cleveland, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,968 a year higher in Cleveland, OH than in Knoxville, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Cleveland, OH to Knoxville, TN ($111,138 → $106,437), while prices change by −1.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.8% in real buying power.
- Cleveland, OH: price level 93.9 (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
| Cleveland, OH | Knoxville, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.9 | 92.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,558 in Knoxville | $101,463 in Cleveland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,058/mo | $1,184/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% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,140 | $47,080 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Cleveland, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Knoxville, TN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Cleveland, OH and Knoxville, TN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cleveland | Knoxville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.4 | 82.8 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 96.0 | 71.9 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 95.1 |
| Overall | 93.9 | 92.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cleveland, OH → Knoxville, TN
Roughly even
Buying power +1.5%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$1,968/yr.
73 Strong offer
Knoxville, TN → Cleveland, OH
Roughly even
Buying power −1.4%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$1,968/yr.
64 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cleveland, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; Knoxville, TN is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Cleveland, OH to Knoxville, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cleveland, OH | Knoxville, TN | Real change, Cleveland → Knoxville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $61,722 | −2.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $74,678 | −2.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $89,508 | −2.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $106,437 | −2.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $125,776 | −2.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cleveland, OH | Knoxville, TN | Knoxville pay in Cleveland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,470 | $61,980 | $62,887 (−17.8%) |
| Software Developers | $111,310 | $121,750 | $123,531 (+11.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,000 | $75,380 | $76,483 (−4.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,940 | $77,240 | $78,370 (−6.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.