City comparison
Knoxville, TN vs Lancaster, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Lancaster, PA are 6.1% higher than in Knoxville, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Knoxville, TN would need about $106,100 in Lancaster, PA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,184 a month in Knoxville, TN and $1,220 in Lancaster, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,070 a year higher in Lancaster, PA than in Knoxville, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.0% moving from Knoxville, TN to Lancaster, PA ($106,437 → $108,592), while prices change by +6.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.9% in real buying power.
- Knoxville, TN: price level 92.6 (cheaper)
- Lancaster, PA: price level 98.3 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Knoxville, TN | Lancaster, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.6 | 98.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,145 in Lancaster | $94,211 in Knoxville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,184/mo | $1,220/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,080 | $48,210 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Harrisburg-Lebanon, PA |
Rent areas: Knoxville, TN HUD Metro FMR Area and Lancaster, PA MSA. Metro areas: Knoxville, TN and Lancaster, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Knoxville | Lancaster |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 82.8 | 93.8 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 71.9 | 107.3 |
| Other services | 95.1 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 92.6 | 98.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Knoxville, TN → Lancaster, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.8%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$3,070/yr.
51 Fair offer
Lancaster, PA → Knoxville, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.1%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$3,070/yr.
88 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Knoxville, TN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Lancaster, PA is in Harrisburg-Lebanon, PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Knoxville, TN to Lancaster, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Knoxville, TN | Lancaster, PA | Real change, Knoxville → Lancaster |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,972 | −3.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $76,190 | −3.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $91,320 | −3.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $108,592 | −3.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $128,323 | −3.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Knoxville, TN | Lancaster, PA | Lancaster pay in Knoxville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,980 | $78,360 | $73,824 (+19.1%) |
| Software Developers | $121,750 | $104,740 | $98,677 (−19.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,380 | $76,110 | $71,704 (−4.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,240 | $89,620 | $84,432 (+9.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.