City comparison
Fort Wayne, IN vs Knoxville, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Fort Wayne, IN (92.6) and Knoxville, TN (92.6, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Fort Wayne, IN goes as far as $100,000 in Knoxville, TN.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,184 a month in Knoxville, TN versus $916 in Fort Wayne, IN. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Knoxville, TN and 14% in Fort Wayne, IN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,921 a year higher in Fort Wayne, IN than in Knoxville, TN.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Fort Wayne, IN to Knoxville, TN changes real buying power by +0.0%, purely from prices.
- Fort Wayne, IN: price level 92.6 (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
| Fort Wayne, IN | Knoxville, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.6 | 92.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,997 in Knoxville | $100,003 in Fort Wayne |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $916/mo | $1,184/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,260 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,921 (IN) | $0 (TN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,700 | $47,080 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Fort Wayne, IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Knoxville, TN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Fort Wayne, IN and Knoxville, TN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fort Wayne | Knoxville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.3 | 82.8 |
| Goods | 94.3 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 86.2 | 71.9 |
| Other services | 99.1 | 95.1 |
| Overall | 92.6 | 92.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fort Wayne, IN → Knoxville, TN
Roughly even
Buying power +0.0%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$2,921/yr.
69 Fair offer
Knoxville, TN → Fort Wayne, IN
Roughly even
Buying power −0.0%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$2,921/yr.
69 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Fort Wayne, IN to Knoxville, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fort Wayne, IN | Knoxville, TN | Real change, Fort Wayne → Knoxville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +0.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +0.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +0.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +0.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +0.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fort Wayne, IN | Knoxville, TN | Knoxville pay in Fort Wayne dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,800 | $61,980 | $61,982 (+3.6%) |
| Software Developers | $101,560 | $121,750 | $121,754 (+19.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,250 | $75,380 | $75,382 (+0.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,630 | $77,240 | $77,243 (−3.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.