Source-led head-to-head · 2024 ACS
Moving from Knoxville to New York
Based on 2024 ACS 5-year data, Knoxville has a median household income of $54,039, median gross rent of $1,191, and a 22-minute commute. New York City reports $80,483 income, $1,821 rent, and a 44-minute commute. NYC’s higher income offsets its elevated housing costs, while Knoxville offers lower rent and shorter commutes but with significantly less income. The uniform non-housing baseline of $1,250/month applies equally. State income tax is excluded for Knoxville due to lack of approved reference, while NYC uses a simplified 5.50% state tax placeholder in the model—neither reflecting actual liability. This trade-off highlights income’s role in absorbing housing and commute burdens.
Corridor Direction & Trade-off Delta
⇄ Switch to New York → KnoxvilleMoving from Knoxville to New York
Median Rent Impact
+$630/mo
Moving to New York costs ~$7,560 more/yr in rent.
State Tax Treatment
+5.5%
~$5,500 more state tax on a $100k salary in New York.
Daily Commute Difference
+22 min / day
Difference of ~183 hours per year spent commuting based on 2024 ACS midpoint averages.
Your move
Compare the life behind the offer.
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Search all 32,330 U.S. Census places directly below.Instant results use official 2024 ACS place data. Places with incomplete required signals remain visible in search but cannot be selected.
Directional estimate using ACS citywide benchmarks. Verified profiles may include a simplified state-tax reference; automatically added profiles exclude state tax until an official reference is approved. Exact tax, benefits, debt, housing, insurance, and personal circumstances may materially change the result.
LIVE VERDICTKNO → NYC
37/ 100
The offer needs work
The destination absorbs more of the offer.Estimated annual life delta−$1,336after essentials; unverified state tax excluded
Best gainThe deepest employment market and largest-city scale in the reviewed cohort
Watch closelyThe cohort's longest commute estimate plus a separate New York City resident income tax
The short answer
In the uniform one-person renting baseline, Knoxville is about $7,560 lower per year. This is not a verdict by itself: replace city medians with the actual offer, address, household, benefits, insurance, and tax details before deciding.
Knoxville household income$54,039
New York household income$80,483
Knoxville gross rent$1,191
New York gross rent$1,821
Housing, income, and tax reference
| Metric | Knoxville | New York |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 ACS population | 195,185 | 8,483,844 |
| Median household income | $54,039 | $80,483 |
| Median gross rent | $1,191 | $1,821 |
| Median owner-occupied home value | $239,700 | $777,600 |
| State-tax treatment | Excluded | 5.5% simplified |
Time and daily routine
The commute-time distribution produces a weighted one-way estimate of about 22 minutes in Knoxville and 44 minutes in New York. This citywide estimate cannot capture a specific route, remote-work schedule, or transit choice, so the calculator converts it into an explicit time difference instead of hiding it in a subjective lifestyle score.
Decision checklist
- Median household income
- Median gross rent
- One-way commute time
- State income tax treatment in model
What each city wins
Knoxville
Rent-to-income ratio is near typical affordability benchmarks.. Watch lower home values may reflect trade-offs in job access or amenities..
New York
The deepest employment market and largest-city scale in the reviewed cohort. Watch the cohort's longest commute estimate plus a separate new york city resident income tax.
Frequently asked questions
How does income compare to rent in each city?
In Knoxville, median rent is about 26% of median income. In NYC, median rent is roughly 27% of median income—similar rent burden despite higher absolute costs, due to proportionally higher earnings.
What does the commute time difference suggest?
Knoxville’s 22-minute commute is half NYC’s 44-minute average, indicating substantially less time spent traveling to work, which may affect daily time availability and transportation costs.
Source boundary: Core figures come from the 2024 ACS five-year tables linked on each city profile. Commute is derived from B08303 midpoint weighting. A state-tax value without an approved official reference is excluded and disclosed. This comparison becomes index-eligible only after its unique analysis clears the content quality gate.