California vs Tennessee
In $100,000 in California
$90,334
The same income in Tennessee
$108,814
$100,000 has $18,480 more purchasing power in Tennessee.
Figures are in national-average dollars: what the income buys once each state's prices are accounted for (US = 100). Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024, released February 19, 2026. How it's calculated
Salary needed in Tennessee
$83,017
to match $100,000 in California, before tax.
We compare it with your current income after local prices.
Enter an offer greater than zero, or leave this field blank.
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Where the difference comes fromPrice components
Where the difference comes from
Price level by component, 100 = US average. The Difference column compares the destination price level with the origin; higher means the destination is more expensive.
| Component | California | Tennessee | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | 110.7 | 91.9 | −17.0% |
| Housing rents | 154.3 | 79.1 | −48.7% |
| Goods | 106.1 | 96.2 | −9.3% |
| Utilities | 158.9 | 72.1 | −54.6% |
| Other services | 102.6 | 95.1 | −7.3% |
BEA Regional Price Parities · SARPP · 2024 · rel. February 19, 2026 · Official data
Housing reality checkRent, homes & property tax
Housing reality check
ACS median gross rent, home value, and real estate taxes paid — statewide context beyond the index.
US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates · ACS5 · 2024 · rel. December 2025 · Official data
Tax at a glanceIncome & sales tax
Tax at a glance
Hand-curated, tax year 2026 · verified 2026-07-20
Top marginal and average combined rates do not estimate a household's total tax liability.
| Tax | California | Tennessee |
|---|---|---|
| Income tax (top rate) | 13.30% | None |
| Sales tax (combined avg) | 8.99% | 9.61% |
Tax Foundation (income & sales) · Tax · 2026 · rel. tax year 2026 · Manually maintained · verified 2026-07-20
Who comes out ahead in Tennessee?
The answer depends on your situation. Each card compares statewide medians for one situation; the state named is the one the numbers favor.
An unchanged income buys about 20.5% more in Tennessee than in California. On $100,000 that is $18,480 of national-average purchasing power a year.
Median gross rent is $2,036 in California and $1,189 in Tennessee, $847 a month ($10,164 a year) less in Tennessee. Renters spend a median 32.8% and 29.5% of income on rent.
The median home is worth $734,700 in California (7.4× median household income) and $286,700 in Tennessee (4.1×). Median property taxes equal 0.70% and 0.50% of the median home value.
Median household income is $99,122 in California and $69,595 in Tennessee. After adjusting for prices, that is $89,541 and $75,729: local pay goes further in California.
Unemployment is 5.1% in California and 3.4% in Tennessee (July 2026). Tennessee has the tighter labor market by 1.7 points. Pay for specific jobs is compared below.
California and Tennessee head to head
Statewide figures the calculator above does not show. “Edge” (bold on small screens) marks the state with the lower cost or higher income on that row; rows without a clear better direction are left blank.
| Measure | California | Tennessee | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Income | |||
| Median household income | $99,122 | $69,595 | California |
| Adjusted for local prices | $89,541 | $75,729 | California |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownership rate | 55.9% | 66.9% | |
| Rent as % of renter income | 32.8% | 29.5% | Tennessee |
| Owner costs as % of income | 21.0% | 15.6% | Tennessee |
| Home value ÷ household income | 7.4× | 4.1× | Tennessee |
| Home price change, 2020–2025 · FHFA index | +38.7% | +62% | |
| Taxes | |||
| Top income tax rate | 13.30% (graduated) | None on wages | Tennessee |
| Combined sales tax (avg) | 8.99% | 9.61% | California |
| Median property tax paid | $5,124 | $1,442 | Tennessee |
| Property tax ÷ home value | 0.70% | 0.50% | Tennessee |
| Jobs | |||
| Unemployment (July 2026) | 5.1% | 3.4% | Tennessee |
| Minimum wage | $16.90/hr | $7.25/hr | |
| Everyday costs | |||
| Median rent, 2 bedrooms | $2,103/mo | $1,143/mo | Tennessee |
| Average electric bill (2024) | $161/mo | $143/mo | Tennessee |
| Electricity price | 32.0¢/kWh | 12.4¢/kWh | Tennessee |
| Health care spending per person (2025) | $11,681 | $9,356 | |
| All consumer spending per person (2025) | $70,076 | $53,530 | |
| People | |||
| Population change since July 2020 | −0.4% | +5.6% | |
| Net moves from other states | −1,629,468 | +277,999 | |
| Median age | 37.9 | 38.9 | |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 37.1% | 31.1% | |
| No health insurance | 6.6% | 10.0% | California |
| Average commute | 28.7 min | 25.7 min | Tennessee |
| Crime (2025, per 100,000 residents) | |||
| Violent crime | 432.7 | 492.3 | California |
| Property crime | 1,792.2 | 1,636.6 | Tennessee |
| Murder | 3.5 | 6.5 | California |
| Climate (1991–2020 averages) | |||
| Average temperature | 59.0°F | 58.4°F | |
| July average high | 90.9°F | 87.9°F | |
| January average low | 35.0°F | 28.4°F | |
| Precipitation | 22.3 in | 55.1 in | |
Sources: Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates, FHFA house price index via FRED, BLS LAUS, Tax Foundation 2026, US DOL minimum wage, EIA, BEA consumer spending, Census population estimates, FBI crime estimates, and NOAA statewide climate. Median property tax covers owner-occupied homes. Spending is in current dollars and reflects both prices and incomes.
Who is moving between California and Tennessee
In 2024, about 19,670 people living in Tennessee had lived in California a year earlier, and about 7,972 made the opposite move. On net, Tennessee gained about 11,698 residents from California that year.
Census State-to-State Migration Flows (ACS 1-year, 2024). ± values are 90% margins of error. California and Tennessee profiles list each state's largest sources and destinations. What the biggest moves trade →
Salary in Tennessee that matches your California pay
Pre-tax salary needed in Tennessee to keep the same purchasing power, using the all-items price levels (110.7 and 91.9).
| Salary in California | Equivalent in Tennessee | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | $33,207 | −$6,793 |
| $60,000 | $49,810 | −$10,190 |
| $80,000 | $66,414 | −$13,586 |
| $100,000 | $83,017 | −$16,983 |
| $150,000 | $124,526 | −$25,474 |
| $200,000 | $166,034 | −$33,966 |
What the same job pays in California and Tennessee
BLS median annual wages (May 2025), then the same wages adjusted for each state's price level. The last column names the state where the job's median pay buys more.
| Occupation | California | Tennessee | CA adjusted | TN adjusted | Goes further in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurses | $140,270 | $81,500 | $126,712 | $88,683 | California |
| Software Developers | $174,410 | $122,430 | $157,552 | $133,221 | California |
| Elementary School Teachers | $99,650 | $59,980 | $90,018 | $65,267 | California |
| Electricians | $76,160 | $61,090 | $68,799 | $66,474 | California |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $60,230 | $58,620 | $54,408 | $63,787 | Tennessee |
| Accountants and Auditors | $97,050 | $76,840 | $87,669 | $83,613 | California |
| Police & Sheriff’s Patrol Officers | $118,880 | $59,280 | $107,389 | $64,505 | California |
| Pharmacists | $164,610 | $133,390 | $148,699 | $145,147 | California |
| Dental Hygienists | $124,930 | $84,640 | $112,855 | $92,100 | California |
| Welders, Cutters, Solderers & Brazers | $58,060 | $48,040 | $52,448 | $52,274 | California |
Prices inside each state
A statewide price level averages cities and rural areas. The BEA also publishes price levels for metro areas; here is the range in each state.
California
- Lowest El Centro, CA 95.2
- Highest San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA 115.6
- Metro areas 25
Tennessee
- Lowest Jackson, TN 85.5
- Highest Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN 96.3
- Metro areas 10
California vs Tennessee: the read
The bottom line
Compare a $100,000 income in California and Tennessee: its purchasing power is $90,334 and $108,814, respectively, in national-average terms — a gain of $18,480. Tennessee is the cheaper of the two, running at 91.9 on the price index versus 110.7.
Where the difference comes from
The widest gap on the index is utilities: California sits at 158.9 and Tennessee at 72.1 (100 = national), and Tennessee has the edge there. Rents also differ (154.3 versus 79.1), and because rent takes a much larger share of a typical budget than utilities, it usually does more to separate the two states' overall price levels.
Housing
Median rent runs $2,036 in California against $1,189 in Tennessee, and the typical home $734,700 versus $286,700. Tennessee is the more affordable place to buy.
Taxes
On tax, California has 13.30% top income tax and a combined sales tax of 8.99%; Tennessee has no wage income tax and 9.61%. Those headline rates are useful screening facts, but they do not calculate either household's total liability.
Full profiles: California · Tennessee. Every figure here is sourced on the pages linked above.
California vs Tennessee: common questions
Is it cheaper to live in California or Tennessee?
Tennessee is cheaper overall. Its price level is 91.9 against 110.7 in California (US = 100), so the same basket of goods and services costs about 17% less there. The difference is usually largest for rent.
What salary in Tennessee matches $100,000 in California?
About $83,017, before tax. That is $100,000 × 91.9 ÷ 110.7. Income tax, your actual rent or mortgage, and commuting costs can all shift the break-even point.
Which state has lower taxes, California or Tennessee?
California has a graduated income tax with a top rate of 13.30% and an average combined sales tax of 8.99%. Tennessee has no tax on wage income and 9.61%. Median real estate taxes paid by owners are $5,124 and $1,442 a year. Which state costs a household less depends on its income, spending, and whether it owns a home.
Do people earn more in California or Tennessee?
Median household income is $99,122 in California and $69,595 in Tennessee. Adjusted for prices, that is $89,541 and $75,729 in national-average dollars, so households in California have more purchasing power at the median.
Are more people moving from California to Tennessee or the other way?
In 2024, about 19,670 people moved from California to Tennessee and about 7,972 moved from Tennessee to California, according to Census state-to-state migration estimates. That is a net gain of about 11,698 for Tennessee.
Comparing a different pair? Use the full tool →