City comparison
Knoxville, TN vs Wichita, KS
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Knoxville, TN are 4.1% higher than in Wichita, KS. Someone earning $100,000 in Wichita, KS would need about $104,100 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 $849 in Wichita, KS. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Knoxville, TN and 14% in Wichita, KS.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,780 a year higher in Wichita, KS 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 Wichita, KS changes real buying power by +4.1%, purely from prices.
- Knoxville, TN: price level 92.6 (cheaper)
- Wichita, KS: price level 88.9 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Knoxville, TN | Wichita, KS | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.6 | 88.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,086 in Wichita | $104,073 in Knoxville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,184/mo | $849/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $4,780 (KS) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,080 | $47,630 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Knoxville, TN HUD Metro FMR Area and Wichita, KS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Knoxville, TN and Wichita, KS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Knoxville | Wichita |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 82.8 | 66.2 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 94.0 |
| Utilities | 71.9 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 95.1 | 93.8 |
| Overall | 92.6 | 88.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Knoxville, TN → Wichita, KS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.1%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$4,780/yr.
81 Strong offer
Wichita, KS → Knoxville, TN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.9%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$4,780/yr.
57 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 Wichita, KS at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Knoxville, TN | Wichita, KS | Real change, Knoxville → Wichita |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +4.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +4.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +4.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +4.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +4.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Knoxville, TN | Wichita, KS | Wichita pay in Knoxville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,980 | $58,640 | $61,029 (−1.5%) |
| Software Developers | $121,750 | $105,980 | $110,297 (−9.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,380 | $79,270 | $82,499 (+9.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,240 | $76,540 | $79,658 (+3.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.