City comparison
Nashville, TN vs Peoria, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Nashville, TN are 5.6% higher than in Peoria, IL. Someone earning $100,000 in Peoria, IL would need about $105,600 in Nashville, TN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,578 a month in Nashville, TN versus $818 in Peoria, IL. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Nashville, TN and 13% in Peoria, IL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,805 a year higher in Peoria, IL 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 Nashville, TN to Peoria, IL changes real buying power by +5.6%, purely from prices.
- Nashville, TN: price level 96.3 (cheaper)
- Peoria, IL: price level 91.2 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Nashville, TN | Peoria, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.3 | 91.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,699 in Peoria | $105,598 in Nashville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,578/mo | $818/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,375 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $4,805 (IL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 13% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,390 | $49,590 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN HUD Metro FMR Area and Peoria, IL MSA. Metro areas: Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN and Peoria, IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Nashville | Peoria |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 104.6 | 63.8 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 72.0 | 90.5 |
| Other services | 95.1 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 96.3 | 91.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Nashville, TN → Peoria, IL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.6%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax +$4,805/yr.
86 Strong offer
Peoria, IL → Nashville, TN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.3%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$4,805/yr.
52 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 Nashville, TN to Peoria, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Nashville, TN | Peoria, IL | Real change, Nashville → Peoria |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +5.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +5.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +5.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +5.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +5.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Nashville, TN | Peoria, IL | Peoria pay in Nashville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,460 | $57,440 | $60,655 (−1.3%) |
| Software Developers | $126,610 | $130,590 | $137,900 (+8.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,080 | $79,540 | $83,993 (+7.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,040 | $81,010 | $85,545 (+1.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.