Knoxville Jacksonville

Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources

Should you move?

Moving from Knoxville to Jacksonville is less favorable: BEA regional price parity goes from 92.6 to 92.1 (US = 100), and HUD 2-bedroom rent falls by $298/mo.

-$5,903
BLS median salary lower in Jacksonville
602 to 365
violent crimes per 100K (FBI UCR, state-level)
15.3:1 to 15.8:1
NCES student-teacher ratio
$1,627
DOL infant care higher / yr in Jacksonville

BEA Regional Price Parity, HUD Fair Market Rent, BLS OEWS, FBI UCR, NCES, and DOL. The table below lets you override the composite with your own priorities.

Verdict
Less Favorable
Cost Index: 92.6 → 92.1
Rent Delta: -$298/mo

Pros of Moving

  • + $298/mo cheaper rent (2BR)
  • + Lower violent crime rate

Cons of Moving

  • - $6K lower median salary
  • - More expensive childcare
  • - More environmental violations

Purchasing power stays near-even: BEA RPP moves only from 92.6 to 92.1 (ratio 0.99), inside a ±5% band. HUD 2BR Fair Market Rent drops $298/mo ($3,576/yr) from $1,471 in Knoxville to $1,173 in Jacksonville.

The seven-dimension ledger splits (3 destination wins · 4 origin wins); priorities decide this move. Jacksonville sits #160 of 387 metros on PlainRelocate livability (middle third). Knoxville is #341/387 on the same ranking. Composite verdict: Less Favorable. Override it with the dimension table below.

BLS OEWS median salary moves $5,903 lower ($63,333 → $57,430). Labor-market size: 415,720 tracked jobs at origin vs 46,520 at destination.

State retirement friendliness is near-even: Tennessee 66 (C, #17/51) vs North Carolina 68 (C, #13/51). Full state tax and healthcare sub-scores sit in the retirement desk below.

Dimension
Knoxville
Jacksonville
Winner
Cost of Living
RPP 92.6
RPP 92.1
Jacksonville
Rent (2BR)
$1,471/mo
$1,173/mo
Jacksonville
Wages
$63,333
$57,430
Knoxville
Crime
602 per 100K
365 per 100K
Jacksonville
Schools
15.3:1
15.8:1
Knoxville
Childcare
$7,860/yr
$9,487/yr
Knoxville
Environment
1192 violations
3120 violations
Knoxville

State retirement friendliness

Primary-state scores from PlainRelocate's retirement registry (tax + healthcare + climate composite). Metro pairs use each metro's primary state abbreviation.

Origin state · Tennessee
66 C #17/51
Income tax
100
Property tax
80
Estate tax
100
Healthcare
36
Destination state · North Carolina
68 C #13/51
Income tax
68
Property tax
66
Estate tax
100
Healthcare
30

Full retirement ranking · Source composite documented on methodology (Tax Foundation + AARP tax guides + federal healthcare/climate inputs).

Salary Adjustment Calculator

Enter your current salary in Knoxville to see what you'd need to earn in Jacksonville to maintain the same purchasing power.

Equivalent salary in Jacksonville
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Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents, BLS OES, FBI UCR, NCES, DOL, EPA; retirement desk: Tax Foundation + AARP tax guides June 2026