City comparison
Knoxville, TN vs Lansing, MI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Lansing, MI are 2.6% higher than in Knoxville, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Knoxville, TN would need about $102,600 in Lansing, MI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,184 a month in Knoxville, TN versus $1,012 in Lansing, MI. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Knoxville, TN and 16% in Lansing, MI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,999 a year higher in Lansing, MI than in Knoxville, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +10.3% moving from Knoxville, TN to Lansing, MI ($106,437 → $117,402), while prices change by +2.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.5% in real buying power.
- Knoxville, TN: price level 92.6 (cheaper)
- Lansing, MI: price level 95.0 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Knoxville, TN | Lansing, MI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.6 | 95.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,616 in Lansing | $97,450 in Knoxville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,184/mo | $1,012/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,181 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $3,999 (MI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,080 | $52,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI |
Rent areas: Knoxville, TN HUD Metro FMR Area and Lansing-East Lansing, MI MSA. Metro areas: Knoxville, TN and Lansing-East Lansing, MI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Knoxville | Lansing |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 82.8 | 83.5 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 71.9 | 95.5 |
| Other services | 95.1 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 92.6 | 95.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Knoxville, TN → Lansing, MI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.5%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$3,999/yr.
61 Fair offer
Lansing, MI → Knoxville, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.6%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$3,999/yr.
77 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Knoxville, TN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Lansing, MI is in Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI. The last column shows what a transfer from Knoxville, TN to Lansing, MI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Knoxville, TN | Lansing, MI | Real change, Knoxville → Lansing |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $68,081 | +7.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $82,372 | +7.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $98,729 | +7.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $117,402 | +7.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $138,734 | +7.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Knoxville, TN | Lansing, MI | Lansing pay in Knoxville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,980 | $72,930 | $71,070 (+14.7%) |
| Software Developers | $121,750 | $97,120 | $94,644 (−22.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,380 | $79,210 | $77,190 (+2.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,240 | $84,320 | $82,170 (+6.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.