City comparison
Knoxville, TN vs Reno, NV
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Reno, NV are 9.1% higher than in Knoxville, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Knoxville, TN would need about $109,100 in Reno, NV to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,489 a month in Reno, NV versus $1,184 in Knoxville, TN. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Reno, NV and 18% in Knoxville, TN.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $0 a year in TN and $0 in NV.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.4% moving from Knoxville, TN to Reno, NV ($106,437 → $106,855), while prices change by +9.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −8.0% in real buying power.
- Knoxville, TN: price level 92.6 (cheaper)
- Reno, NV: price level 101.0 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Knoxville, TN | Reno, NV | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.6 | 101.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $109,123 in Reno | $91,640 in Knoxville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,184/mo | $1,489/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $0 (NV) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,080 | $49,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Reno-Fernley, NV |
Rent areas: Knoxville, TN HUD Metro FMR Area and Reno, NV HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Knoxville, TN and Reno, NV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Knoxville | Reno |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 82.8 | 123.5 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 71.9 | 89.3 |
| Other services | 95.1 | 98.7 |
| Overall | 92.6 | 101.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Knoxville, TN → Reno, NV
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.4%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
43 Weak offer
Reno, NV → Knoxville, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.1%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
97 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Knoxville, TN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Reno, NV is in Reno-Fernley, NV. The last column shows what a transfer from Knoxville, TN to Reno, NV at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Knoxville, TN | Reno, NV | Real change, Knoxville → Reno |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,965 | −8.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,972 | −8.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,859 | −8.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,855 | −8.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $126,271 | −8.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Knoxville, TN | Reno, NV | Reno pay in Knoxville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,980 | $62,430 | $57,211 (−7.7%) |
| Software Developers | $121,750 | $125,710 | $115,200 (−5.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,380 | $82,370 | $75,484 (+0.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,240 | $107,520 | $98,531 (+27.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.