City comparison
Knoxville, TN vs Urban Honolulu, HI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Urban Honolulu, HI are 19.9% higher than in Knoxville, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Knoxville, TN would need about $119,900 in Urban Honolulu, HI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,016 a month in Urban Honolulu, HI versus $1,184 in Knoxville, TN. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Urban Honolulu, HI and 18% in Knoxville, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $6,070 a year higher in Urban Honolulu, HI than in Knoxville, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.4% moving from Knoxville, TN to Urban Honolulu, HI ($106,437 → $111,119), while prices change by +19.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −12.9% in real buying power.
- Knoxville, TN: price level 92.6 (cheaper)
- Urban Honolulu, HI: price level 111.0 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Knoxville, TN | Urban Honolulu, HI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.6 | 111.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $119,868 in Urban Honolulu | $83,425 in Knoxville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,184/mo | $2,016/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $73,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $6,070 (HI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 33% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,080 | $57,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | State of Hawaii |
Rent areas: Knoxville, TN HUD Metro FMR Area and Urban Honolulu, HI MSA. Metro areas: Knoxville, TN and Urban Honolulu, HI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Knoxville | Urban Honolulu |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 82.8 | 135.5 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 111.6 |
| Utilities | 71.9 | 187.3 |
| Other services | 95.1 | 102.9 |
| Overall | 92.6 | 111.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Knoxville, TN → Urban Honolulu, HI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −16.6%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax +$6,070/yr.
25 Weak offer
Urban Honolulu, HI → Knoxville, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +19.9%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$6,070/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Knoxville, TN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Urban Honolulu, HI is in State of Hawaii. The last column shows what a transfer from Knoxville, TN to Urban Honolulu, HI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Knoxville, TN | Urban Honolulu, HI | Real change, Knoxville → Urban Honolulu |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,438 | −12.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $77,964 | −12.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,445 | −12.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,119 | −12.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,310 | −12.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Knoxville, TN | Urban Honolulu, HI | Urban Honolulu pay in Knoxville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,980 | $73,080 | $60,967 (−1.6%) |
| Software Developers | $121,750 | $120,230 | $100,302 (−17.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,380 | $74,990 | $62,560 (−17.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,240 | $139,260 | $116,177 (+50.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.