CostIndexUSA

Knoxville, TN vs New Orleans, LA Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

≈ Equal CostTN
Knoxville
92.6
overall index
$1,725/mo rent
LA
New Orleans
92.6
overall index
$1,575/mo rent

Knoxville and New Orleans have nearly identical costs of living.

Category Breakdown

Index values: 100 = U.S. national average. Higher = more expensive.

🏠 Housing+3.9%
Knoxville
82.8
New Orleans
86
🛒 Groceries−2.6%
Knoxville
96.2
New Orleans
93.7
🚗 Transportation+0.6%
Knoxville
99.9
New Orleans
100.5
🏥 Healthcare+0.6%
Knoxville
90.4
New Orleans
90.9
⚡ Utilities−1.0%
Knoxville
71.9
New Orleans
71.2

Salary Equivalency Calculator

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

$
→
Equivalent salary in New Orleans, LA
$80,000
Same salary works in both cities

Formula: salary × (92.6 ÷ 92.6) = salary × 1.0000. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Knoxville, TN

Median Home Price
$352,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,725
Housing Index
82.8
Price-to-Rent Ratio
17.0×

New Orleans, LA

Median Home Price
$253,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,575
Housing Index
86
Price-to-Rent Ratio
13.4×

New Orleans has 3.9% higher housing costs compared to Knoxville.

Income & Job Market

Knoxville, TN

Median Household Income
$69,900
Per Capita Income
$39,800
Unemployment Rate
3.2%
Population
190,740
Top Industries
HealthcareEducationManufacturingTourismGovernment

New Orleans, LA

Median Household Income
$61,000
Per Capita Income
$34,800
Unemployment Rate
5%
Population
383,997
Top Industries
TourismEnergyHealthcareShippingEntertainment

Affordability at a Glance

Income-to-rent ratio: higher is better (more income relative to housing costs).

Knoxville, TN
3.4×income-to-rent ratio

70% of income left after rent (median)

New Orleans, LA
3.2×income-to-rent ratio

69% of income left after rent (median)

Knoxville vs other cities

Knoxville, TN
vs
Chattanooga, TN
Index: 92.6Index: 91.5
Knoxville, TN
vs
Clarksville, TN
Index: 92.6Index: 90.9
Knoxville, TN
vs
Johnson City, TN
Index: 92.6Index: 87.9
Knoxville, TN
vs
Providence, RI
Index: 92.6Index: 101.8
Knoxville, TN
vs
Peoria, AZ
Index: 92.6Index: 103.3

New Orleans vs other cities

New Orleans, LA
vs
Baton Rouge, LA
Index: 92.6Index: 90.8
New Orleans, LA
vs
Lafayette, LA
Index: 92.6Index: 87.2
New Orleans, LA
vs
Lake Charles, LA
Index: 92.6Index: 85.9
New Orleans, LA
vs
Bakersfield, CA
Index: 92.6Index: 100.9
New Orleans, LA
vs
Arlington, TX
Index: 92.6Index: 103.1

Data Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities 2024; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Zillow Research.

Cost indices use 100 as the U.S. national average. Values above 100 indicate costs above the national average. Data is updated annually.

This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for relocation or financial decisions.