City comparison
Greeley, CO vs Memphis, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Greeley, CO are 8.7% higher than in Memphis, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Memphis, TN would need about $108,700 in Greeley, CO to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,238 a month in Greeley, CO versus $1,154 in Memphis, TN. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Greeley, CO and 17% in Memphis, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,692 a year higher in Greeley, CO than in Memphis, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.3% moving from Greeley, CO to Memphis, TN ($118,675 → $106,437), while prices change by −8.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.5% in real buying power.
- Greeley, CO: price level 100.2 (about average)
- 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
| Greeley, CO | Memphis, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.2 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,017 in Memphis | $108,676 in Greeley |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,238/mo | $1,154/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $0 (TN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,070 | $46,890 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Greeley, CO MSA and Memphis, TN-MS-AR HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Greeley, CO and Memphis, TN-MS-AR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Greeley | Memphis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 112.6 | 79.8 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 82.0 | 74.1 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 95.4 |
| Overall | 100.2 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Greeley, CO → Memphis, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.7%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$3,692/yr.
96 Strong offer
Memphis, TN → Greeley, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.0%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$3,692/yr.
44 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Greeley, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Memphis, TN is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Greeley, CO to Memphis, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Greeley, CO | Memphis, TN | Real change, Greeley → Memphis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $61,722 | −2.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $74,678 | −2.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $89,508 | −2.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $106,437 | −2.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $125,776 | −2.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Greeley, CO | Memphis, TN | Memphis pay in Greeley dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,160 | $61,510 | $66,846 (+11.1%) |
| Software Developers | $129,480 | $125,580 | $136,475 (+5.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $87,240 | $76,960 | $83,637 (−4.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,300 | $81,500 | $88,571 (−8.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.