Is Tennessee a good state for your salary to go far?

Tennessee ranks #24 of 51 states on the Gera US Real Pay Index, with a mean index of 100.5 across 371 occupations (100 = the average state). Its 2024 BEA cost of living is 91.9 (US = 100), and its 2025 state income tax schedule is applied to each occupation's median wage.

What is the cost of living in Tennessee?

Tennessee's Regional Price Parity (All Items) for 2024 is 91.9, where the US average is 100. That is at or below the national average, so a dollar buys as much as or more than it does nationally. The Gera US Real Pay Index divides take-home pay by this figure to express salaries in purchasing-power-equivalent dollars.

GeraJobs / US Real Pay Index / Tennessee

Where Your Salary Goes Furthest in Tennessee

Tennessee ranks #24 of 51 states on the Gera US Real Pay Index (mean 100.5, base = 100). Cost of living 91.9 (US = 100); no state income tax.

Does a salary go further in Tennessee? (cost of living + state tax)

In Tennessee, the cost of living is 91.9 on the BEA index (US = 100) and the Gera US Real Pay Index averages 100.5 across 371 occupations, ranking it #24 of 51 states for how far pay goes after 2025 state income tax and 2024 BEA cost of living. Real BLS OEWS; re-dated annually.

Source:U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)·As of May 2025 state estimates · updated annually · last refreshed 19 June 2026

Gera US Real Pay Index

Tennessee ranks #24 of 51 states. Mean across 371 occupations; 100 = the average state, 100.5 means pay goes 0.5% further after tax and cost of living.

How this is calculated

100.5

Real pay by occupation in Tennessee (best first)

Occupation	BLS median	Real pay	Index
Education Administrators, All Other	$118,330	$128,802	137.6
Hazardous Materials Removal Workers	$60,090	$65,408	129.9
Tutors	$50,280	$54,730	126.9
Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All Other	$59,610	$64,885	126.3
Database Administrators	$115,500	$125,721	125.5
Power Plant Operators	$115,920	$126,178	125.1
Administrative Services Managers	$127,410	$138,685	123.5
Chefs and Head Cooks	$69,810	$75,988	123.0
Driver/Sales Workers	$42,220	$45,956	122.2
Social and Community Service Managers	$88,240	$96,049	120.7
Travel Agents	$55,640	$60,564	120.7
First-Line Supervisors of Protective Service Workers, All Other	$81,330	$88,527	120.7
Medical Transcriptionists	$44,720	$48,677	119.4
Physicians, All Other	$301,290	$327,953	116.4
Electronics Engineers, Except Computer	$122,920	$133,798	115.0
Architectural and Civil Drafters	$69,220	$75,346	114.6
Producers and Directors	$73,020	$79,482	114.0
Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors	$47,380	$51,573	113.6
Postmasters and Mail Superintendents	$99,170	$107,946	113.5
Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health	$56,960	$62,001	113.3
Food Batchmakers	$42,610	$46,381	112.7
Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians	$81,040	$88,212	112.6
Opticians, Dispensing	$49,840	$54,251	112.6
Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors	$60,340	$65,680	112.5
First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers	$85,980	$93,589	112.0
Lawyers	$136,180	$148,231	111.8
Library Assistants, Clerical	$37,410	$40,721	111.6
Postal Service Clerks	$63,210	$68,804	111.5
Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other	$62,050	$67,541	111.5
Management Analysts	$99,260	$108,044	111.4
Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians	$76,650	$83,433	111.3
Surveyors	$76,340	$83,096	111.2
Couriers and Messengers	$40,270	$43,834	111.1
Education Teachers, Postsecondary	$72,390	$78,796	110.6
Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other	$53,850	$58,615	110.1
File Clerks	$43,010	$46,816	110.1
Light Truck Drivers	$45,050	$49,037	110.0
Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators	$78,010	$84,913	110.0
Facilities Managers	$106,730	$116,175	110.0
Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, Recordkeeping	$47,330	$51,518	109.9

Showing the 40 highest real-pay occupations of 371 BLS publishes for Tennessee. Real pay = BLS median − 2025 state income tax, divided by the 2024 BEA cost of living (91.9, US = 100).

Where does your salary go furthest?

Enter a salary and a state. We adjust for 2025 state income tax and the 2024 BEA cost of living to show your real, purchasing-power-equivalent pay — then rank every state.

Gross annual salary (USD)Compare against state

In Tennessee, a $85,000 salary is worth about $92,522 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms.

State income tax $0 (no state income tax) · take-home $85,000 · BEA cost of living 91.9 (US = 100).

The same salary goes furthest in South Dakota — worth $95,952, a $3,430 gain over Tennessee.

#	State	Real value	Cost (RPP)
1	South Dakota	$95,952	88.6
2	Arkansas	$93,959	86.9
3	Louisiana	$93,473	88.2
4	Mississippi	$93,453	87.0
5	Iowa	$93,172	87.8
6	North Dakota	$93,161	89.0
7	Tennessee	$92,522	91.9
8	Oklahoma	$92,167	87.8
9	Wyoming	$91,703	92.7
10	Alabama	$90,911	88.8
11	Kentucky	$90,507	90.2
12	West Virginia	$90,397	89.5

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Estimate only. State income tax is approximated from each state's 2025 flat rate (or top marginal rate as an upper bound for graduated states) and ignores federal tax, deductions and credits. The pre-published occupation and state pages use exact 2025 bracket math. Cost of living is the 2024 BEA Regional Price Parity (All Items).

Tennessee real pay — FAQ

Is Tennessee a good state for your salary to go far?: Tennessee ranks #24 of 51 states on the Gera US Real Pay Index, with a mean index of 100.5 across 371 occupations (100 = the average state). Its 2024 BEA cost of living is 91.9 (US = 100), and its 2025 state income tax schedule is applied to each occupation's median wage.
What is the cost of living in Tennessee?: Tennessee's Regional Price Parity (All Items) for 2024 is 91.9, where the US average is 100. That is at or below the national average, so a dollar buys as much as or more than it does nationally. The Gera US Real Pay Index divides take-home pay by this figure to express salaries in purchasing-power-equivalent dollars.

Compare other states

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Related on GeraJobs

Gera US Real Pay Index — all states ranked
Methodology — the exact BLS + BEA + tax computation.
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Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) (May 2025 state estimates); U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities (All Items), by state (2024 (US = 100)); Tax Foundation — 2025 State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets. The Gera US Real Pay Index for Tennessee is computed by GeraJobs from these figures; no figure is modelled or interpolated.