City comparison
Memphis, TN vs Tallahassee, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Tallahassee, FL are 1.9% higher than in Memphis, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Memphis, TN would need about $101,900 in Tallahassee, FL to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,154 a month in Memphis, TN and $1,204 in Tallahassee, FL.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $0 a year in TN and $0 in FL.
- 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 Memphis, TN to Tallahassee, FL changes real buying power by −1.9%, purely from prices.
- Memphis, TN: price level 92.2 (cheaper)
- Tallahassee, FL: price level 93.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Memphis, TN | Tallahassee, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.2 | 93.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,888 in Tallahassee | $98,147 in Memphis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,154/mo | $1,204/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,890 | $46,520 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Memphis, TN-MS-AR HUD Metro FMR Area and Tallahassee, FL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Memphis, TN-MS-AR and Tallahassee, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Memphis | Tallahassee |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.8 | 78.5 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 74.1 | 87.5 |
| Other services | 95.4 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 92.2 | 93.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Memphis, TN → Tallahassee, FL
Roughly even
Buying power −1.9%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
63 Fair offer
Tallahassee, FL → Memphis, TN
Roughly even
Buying power +1.9%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
75 Strong 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 Memphis, TN to Tallahassee, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Memphis, TN | Tallahassee, FL | Real change, Memphis → Tallahassee |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −1.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −1.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −1.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −1.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −1.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Memphis, TN | Tallahassee, FL | Tallahassee pay in Memphis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,510 | $55,020 | $54,001 (−12.2%) |
| Software Developers | $125,580 | $121,800 | $119,543 (−4.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,960 | $61,840 | $60,694 (−21.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,500 | $79,430 | $77,958 (−4.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.