City comparison
Knoxville, TN vs South Bend, IN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Knoxville, TN (92.6) and South Bend, IN (92.9, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Knoxville, TN goes as far as $100,300 in South Bend, IN.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,184 a month in Knoxville, TN versus $1,105 in South Bend, IN. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Knoxville, TN and 17% in South Bend, IN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,921 a year higher in South Bend, IN 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 South Bend, IN changes real buying power by −0.3%, purely from prices.
- Knoxville, TN: price level 92.6 (cheaper)
- South Bend, IN: price level 92.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Knoxville, TN | South Bend, IN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.6 | 92.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,312 in South Bend | $99,689 in Knoxville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,184/mo | $1,105/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $2,921 (IN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,080 | $46,540 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Knoxville, TN HUD Metro FMR Area and South Bend-Mishawaka, IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Knoxville, TN and South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Knoxville | South Bend |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 82.8 | 74.6 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 94.2 |
| Utilities | 71.9 | 87.7 |
| Other services | 95.1 | 99.2 |
| Overall | 92.6 | 92.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Knoxville, TN → South Bend, IN
Roughly even
Buying power −0.3%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$2,921/yr.
68 Fair offer
South Bend, IN → Knoxville, TN
Roughly even
Buying power +0.3%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$2,921/yr.
70 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 South Bend, IN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Knoxville, TN | South Bend, IN | Real change, Knoxville → South Bend |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −0.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −0.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −0.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −0.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −0.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Knoxville, TN | South Bend, IN | South Bend pay in Knoxville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,980 | $58,180 | $57,999 (−6.4%) |
| Software Developers | $121,750 | $95,500 | $95,203 (−21.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,380 | $77,940 | $77,697 (+3.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,240 | $93,540 | $93,249 (+20.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.