City comparison
Nashville, TN vs Utica, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Nashville, TN are 3.9% higher than in Utica, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Utica, NY would need about $103,900 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 $926 in Utica, NY. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Nashville, TN and 15% in Utica, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,860 a year higher in Utica, NY 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 Utica, NY changes real buying power by +3.9%, purely from prices.
- Nashville, TN: price level 96.3 (cheaper)
- Utica, NY: price level 92.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Nashville, TN | Utica, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.3 | 92.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,201 in Utica | $103,949 in Nashville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,578/mo | $926/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,390 | $48,970 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN HUD Metro FMR Area and Utica-Rome, NY MSA. Metro areas: Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN and Utica-Rome, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Nashville | Utica |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 104.6 | 66.1 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 72.0 | 131.9 |
| Other services | 95.1 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 96.3 | 92.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Nashville, TN → Utica, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.9%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$4,860/yr.
81 Strong offer
Utica, NY → Nashville, TN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.8%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$4,860/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 Nashville, TN to Utica, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Nashville, TN | Utica, NY | Real change, Nashville → Utica |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +3.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +3.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +3.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +3.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +3.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Nashville, TN | Utica, NY | Utica pay in Nashville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,460 | $77,010 | $80,051 (+30.2%) |
| Software Developers | $126,610 | $113,390 | $117,868 (−6.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,080 | $79,830 | $82,983 (+6.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,040 | $94,300 | $98,024 (+16.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.