City comparison
Madison, WI vs Nashville, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Madison, WI (97.3) and Nashville, TN (96.3, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Madison, WI goes as far as $99,000 in Nashville, TN.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,578 a month in Nashville, TN versus $1,482 in Madison, WI. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Nashville, TN and 24% in Madison, WI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,919 a year higher in Madison, WI than in Nashville, 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 Madison, WI to Nashville, TN changes real buying power by +1.0%, purely from prices.
- Madison, WI: price level 97.3 (cheaper)
- Nashville, TN: price level 96.3 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Madison, WI | Nashville, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.3 | 96.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,025 in Nashville | $100,985 in Madison |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,482/mo | $1,578/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,261 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,919 (WI) | $0 (TN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,080 | $50,390 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Madison, WI HUD Metro FMR Area and Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Madison, WI and Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Madison | Nashville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 99.7 | 104.6 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 89.8 | 72.0 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 95.1 |
| Overall | 97.3 | 96.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Madison, WI → Nashville, TN
Roughly even
Buying power +1.0%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$3,919/yr.
72 Strong offer
Nashville, TN → Madison, WI
Roughly even
Buying power −1.0%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$3,919/yr.
66 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 Madison, WI to Nashville, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Madison, WI | Nashville, TN | Real change, Madison → Nashville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +1.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +1.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +1.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +1.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +1.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Madison, WI | Nashville, TN | Nashville pay in Madison dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,690 | $61,460 | $62,065 (−2.6%) |
| Software Developers | $130,630 | $126,610 | $127,857 (−2.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,130 | $78,080 | $78,849 (−2.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,190 | $84,040 | $84,868 (−16.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.