City comparison
Knoxville, TN vs Oklahoma City, OK
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Knoxville, TN are 2.4% higher than in Oklahoma City, OK. Someone earning $100,000 in Oklahoma City, OK would need about $102,400 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 $1,017 in Oklahoma City, OK. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Knoxville, TN and 16% in Oklahoma City, OK.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,955 a year higher in Oklahoma City, OK than in Knoxville, TN.
- 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 Oklahoma City, OK changes real buying power by +2.4%, purely from prices.
- Knoxville, TN: price level 92.6 (cheaper)
- Oklahoma City, OK: price level 90.4 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Knoxville, TN | Oklahoma City, OK | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.6 | 90.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,666 in Oklahoma City | $102,390 in Knoxville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,184/mo | $1,017/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,226 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $3,955 (OK) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,080 | $47,230 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Knoxville, TN HUD Metro FMR Area and Oklahoma City, OK HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Knoxville, TN and Oklahoma City, OK.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Knoxville | Oklahoma City |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 82.8 | 73.9 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 71.9 | 74.1 |
| Other services | 95.1 | 95.5 |
| Overall | 92.6 | 90.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Knoxville, TN → Oklahoma City, OK
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.4%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$3,955/yr.
76 Strong offer
Oklahoma City, OK → Knoxville, TN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.3%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$3,955/yr.
61 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 Oklahoma City, OK at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Knoxville, TN | Oklahoma City, OK | Real change, Knoxville → Oklahoma City |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +2.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +2.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +2.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +2.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +2.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Knoxville, TN | Oklahoma City, OK | Oklahoma City pay in Knoxville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,980 | $48,780 | $49,946 (−19.4%) |
| Software Developers | $121,750 | $122,390 | $125,315 (+2.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,380 | $77,280 | $79,127 (+5.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,240 | $82,920 | $84,902 (+9.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.