Cost of Living
The Knoxville-Oak Ridge Innovation Valley is consistently ranked among the most cost-effective places to live in the U.S.
- According to Virtual Relocation.com, Yahoo's source for community comparison data, the region's cost of living is substantially less than the U.S. average.
- A recent Computer World article cited health care costs in the region at 18% below the national average.
- Tennessee has no state income tax on earned income is a big plus as well.
ACCRA Cost of Living Index for Selected US Cities, 2007 Annual Average
City | State | Composite | Grocery Items | Housing | Utilities | Transpor-tation | Health Care | Misc. Goods and Services |
| Knoxville | TN | 87 | 89.5 | 75.2 | 89.8 | 87.2 | 89.3 | 94.5 |
| Memphis | TN | 89.3 | 90.4 | 76.5 | 83.8 | 92.2 | 97.1 | 99 |
| Huntsville | AL | 92.5 | 93.6 | 78.9 | 84.1 | 96.9 | 95 | 103.8 |
| Dallas | TX | 91.2 | 99 | 71.5 | 98.6 | 103.4 | 101.6 | 97.4 |
| Chattanooga | TN | 89.9 | 96.9 | 79.8 | 85.2 | 97.8 | 94.7 | 93.8 |
| Pittsburgh | PA | 98.9 | 98.3 | 92.6 | 108.2 | 105.7 | 87.3 | 101 |
| Charlotte | NC | 89.7 | 99.1 | 75.6 | 83.2 | 92.3 | 104.3 | 96.8 |
| Montgomery | AL | 95.5 | 98.7 | 93.1 | 100 | 94.7 | 85.7 | 96.3 |
| Cincinnati | OH | 90.4 | 89.2 | 80.4 | 99.3 | 98.8 | 91.9 | 93.9 |
| Louisville | KY | 97.5 | 89.6 | 89.6 | 109.1 | 110.2 | 97.3 | 99.8 |
| Columbia | SC | 89.2 | 98.4 | 77.2 | 95.2 | 84.7 | 102.1 | 93.5 |
| Nashville | TN | 95.1 | 100.4 | 75.7 | 97.5 | 106.7 | 102.4 | 103.8 |
| Atlanta | GA | 96.1 | 98.7 | 91.8 | 84.9 | 103.5 | 103.4 | 98.7 |
| St. Louis | MO | 91.5 | 106.1 | 77.9 | 90.9 | 96 | 97.2 | 95 |
| Lexington | KY | 98.2 | 95.4 | 90.1 | 109 | 97.3 | 99.4 | 102.7 |
| Rochester | MN | 99.9 | 88.6 | 93.5 | 108.2 | 100.7 | 104 | 106.3 |
| Columbus | OH | 97.4 | 96.3 | 95.9 | 102.3 | 103.5 | 104.1 | 94.9 |
| Richmond | VA | 106.4 | 94.7 | 111.4 | 112.3 | 108 | 102.1 | 105.2 |
| Grand Rapids | MI | 102.5 | 105.5 | 100.4 | 120.9 | 99.1 | 90.9 | 100 |
| Cleveland | OH | 98.9 | 106.5 | 89.3 | 112.9 | 101.6 | 102.4 | 98.6 |
| Detroit | MI | 98.2 | 97.5 | 96.8 | 107.6 | 100.8 | 99.2 | 96 |
| Philadelphia | PA | 123.5 | 124.4 | 144.4 | 116.1 | 105.8 | 111 | 115.2 |
| Chicago | IL | 110.3 | 108.3 | 125 | 107.8 | 113.1 | 104.3 | 99.9 |
| Newark | NJ | 126.4 | 111.1 | 164 | 107.5 | 104.1 | 107 | 116.1 |
| Los Angeles | CA | 144.6 | 111.8 | 251.2 | 78.6 | 113.5 | 103.8 | 103.8 |
| New York | NY | 212.8 | 158.1 | 396.1 | 152 | 122.5 | 128.4 | 139.4 |
