City comparison
Knoxville, TN vs Rochester, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Rochester, NY are 4.8% higher than in Knoxville, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Knoxville, TN would need about $104,800 in Rochester, NY to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,256 a month in Rochester, NY versus $1,184 in Knoxville, TN. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Rochester, NY and 18% in Knoxville, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,860 a year higher in Rochester, NY than in Knoxville, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.7% moving from Knoxville, TN to Rochester, NY ($106,437 → $107,182), while prices change by +4.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.9% in real buying power.
- Knoxville, TN: price level 92.6 (cheaper)
- Rochester, NY: price level 97.0 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Knoxville, TN | Rochester, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.6 | 97.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,825 in Rochester | $95,398 in Knoxville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,184/mo | $1,256/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,080 | $51,210 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY |
Rent areas: Knoxville, TN HUD Metro FMR Area and Rochester, NY MSA. Metro areas: Knoxville, TN and Rochester, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Knoxville | Rochester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 82.8 | 87.5 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 71.9 | 133.2 |
| Other services | 95.1 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 92.6 | 97.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Knoxville, TN → Rochester, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.6%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$4,860/yr.
54 Fair offer
Rochester, NY → Knoxville, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.8%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$4,860/yr.
84 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Knoxville, TN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Rochester, NY is in Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY. The last column shows what a transfer from Knoxville, TN to Rochester, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Knoxville, TN | Rochester, NY | Real change, Knoxville → Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,155 | −3.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,202 | −3.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,135 | −3.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $107,182 | −3.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $126,657 | −3.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Knoxville, TN | Rochester, NY | Rochester pay in Knoxville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,980 | $62,840 | $59,948 (−3.3%) |
| Software Developers | $121,750 | $122,770 | $117,120 (−3.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,380 | $80,890 | $77,167 (+2.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,240 | $86,570 | $82,586 (+6.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.