City comparison
Columbus, OH vs Nashville, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Columbus, OH (95.5) and Nashville, TN (96.3, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Columbus, OH goes as far as $100,900 in Nashville, TN.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,578 a month in Nashville, TN versus $1,194 in Columbus, OH. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Nashville, TN and 19% in Columbus, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,968 a year higher in Columbus, OH than in Nashville, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Columbus, OH to Nashville, TN ($111,065 → $106,437), while prices change by +0.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.0% in real buying power.
- Columbus, OH: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Nashville, TN: price level 96.3 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Columbus, OH | Nashville, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 96.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,910 in Nashville | $99,098 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,194/mo | $1,578/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 | 19% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,340 | $50,390 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbus, OH and Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Nashville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.9 | 104.6 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 95.5 | 72.0 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 95.1 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 96.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, OH → Nashville, TN
Roughly even
Buying power −0.9%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,968/yr.
66 Fair offer
Nashville, TN → Columbus, OH
Roughly even
Buying power +0.9%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$1,968/yr.
72 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, OH is in the Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH pay area; Nashville, TN is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, OH to Nashville, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, OH | Nashville, TN | Real change, Columbus → Nashville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,406 | $61,722 | −5.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,926 | $74,678 | −5.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,400 | $89,508 | −5.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,065 | $106,437 | −5.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,245 | $125,776 | −5.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, OH | Nashville, TN | Nashville pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,150 | $61,460 | $60,906 (−22.1%) |
| Software Developers | $122,340 | $126,610 | $125,468 (+2.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,700 | $78,080 | $77,376 (−5.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,900 | $84,040 | $83,282 (−0.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.