City comparison
Knoxville, TN vs McAllen, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Knoxville, TN are 7.8% higher than in McAllen, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in McAllen, TX would need about $107,800 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 $847 in McAllen, TX. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Knoxville, TN and 13% in McAllen, 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 McAllen, TX changes real buying power by +7.8%, purely from prices.
- Knoxville, TN: price level 92.6 (cheaper)
- McAllen, TX: price level 85.9 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Knoxville, TN | McAllen, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.6 | 85.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,790 in McAllen | $107,770 in Knoxville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,184/mo | $847/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% | 13% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,080 | $35,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Knoxville, TN HUD Metro FMR Area and McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX MSA. Metro areas: Knoxville, TN and McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Knoxville | McAllen |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 82.8 | 55.9 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 71.9 | 81.2 |
| Other services | 95.1 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 92.6 | 85.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Knoxville, TN → McAllen, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.8%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
93 Strong offer
McAllen, TX → Knoxville, TN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.2%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
46 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 McAllen, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Knoxville, TN | McAllen, TX | Real change, Knoxville → McAllen |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +7.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +7.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +7.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +7.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +7.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Knoxville, TN | McAllen, TX | McAllen pay in Knoxville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,980 | $63,110 | $68,014 (+9.7%) |
| Software Developers | $121,750 | $116,120 | $125,142 (+2.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,380 | $64,470 | $69,479 (−7.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,240 | $80,540 | $86,798 (+12.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.