City comparison
Knoxville, TN vs Longview, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Knoxville, TN are 3.4% higher than in Longview, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Longview, TX would need about $103,400 in Knoxville, TN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,184 a month in Knoxville, TN versus $1,013 in Longview, TX. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Knoxville, TN and 15% in Longview, TX.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $0 a year in TN and $0 in TX.
- 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 Knoxville, TN to Longview, TX changes real buying power by +3.4%, purely from prices.
- Knoxville, TN: price level 92.6 (cheaper)
- Longview, TX: price level 89.5 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Knoxville, TN | Longview, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.6 | 89.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,668 in Longview | $103,446 in Knoxville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,184/mo | $1,013/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,080 | $45,150 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Knoxville, TN HUD Metro FMR Area and Longview, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Knoxville, TN and Longview, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Knoxville | Longview |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 82.8 | 66.7 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 71.9 | 83.5 |
| Other services | 95.1 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 92.6 | 89.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Knoxville, TN → Longview, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.4%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
80 Strong offer
Longview, TX → Knoxville, TN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.3%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
58 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 Knoxville, TN to Longview, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Knoxville, TN | Longview, TX | Real change, Knoxville → Longview |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +3.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +3.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +3.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +3.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +3.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Knoxville, TN | Longview, TX | Longview pay in Knoxville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,980 | $60,210 | $62,285 (+0.5%) |
| Software Developers | $121,750 | $106,360 | $110,026 (−9.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,380 | $75,060 | $77,647 (+3.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,240 | $80,330 | $83,098 (+7.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.