Earlier this week, the International Association of Fire Fighters released its rebuttal to last week’s City of Memphis salary comparison report, which showed that when compared to the average of 22 cities, Memphis firefighters earn $1,672 more than the average.
At the time, the Memphis Firefighters Association made the point that salaries should be compared to the eight cities now recruiting in Memphis. When using those eight cities, the IAFF report showed that Memphis firefighters with one year of service, when total compensation is compared, including extra pay and allowances, earn $35,396 compared to the average of the eight cities of $46,228.
We don’t begrudge whatever pay that firefighters can get or believe they should be paid less, but we had been looking to make the point that these comparisons don’t factor in a major variable – cost of living – which often puts Memphis on the wrong side of these comparisons. After all, Memphis has one of the lowest costs of living for cities of its size.
Apples and Applies
The IAFF reported that the total compensation for a firefighter in Memphis with one year’s experience is $35,396.
The following list has the eight cities’ compensations followed by the amount a firefighter from Memphis would need to earn to have a comparable lifestyle in each city, including housing, utilities, transportation, health, and miscellaneous costs.
The first column following the city name is the average compensation for firefighters with one year’s service in that city and the second column is the amount that it would take to have the same quality of life as the $35,396 in Memphis.
City Salary Comparable
Aurora $45,892 $44,462
Austin $50,922 $51,358
Baytown $56,477 $39,109
Clearwater $41,796 $45,041
Dallas $44,658 $51,262
Houston $40,744 $47,355
St. Pete $37,504 $43,112
Washington $51,835 $74,264
Again, we’re not trying to pick on firefighters, and we understand their concern that the city government study cherry picked cities for its study. We don’t know if that is true, but both studies ignore the fact that Memphis has one of the lowest costs of living in the U.S. for a city of its size. We tend to take this for granted here, and as a result, we have more than report that are the proverbial apples to oranges. We don’t fully capitalize on this as a competitive advantage for business but also a magnet for young talented workers.
***
Join us at the Smart City Memphis Facebook page for daily articles, reports, and commentaries relevant to Memphis.
Thank you. How we got TWO studies that ignored CoL is beyond me. The first one ignored benefits on top of CoL.
I’m not sure I’m reading your comparison table correctly. Using Austin TX as an example, are you saying the a firefighter with 1 yr experience would make $50,922/yr and that $51,358 in Austin TX is equal to $35,396 in Memphis? Can you share where you got your cost of living comparison data?
I looked at three cost of living calculators online (Bankrate.com, CNN Money, and Salary.com). When I input that I was making $35,396 in Memphis and wanted to move to Austin TX, they told me this:
Bankrate: $35,396 in Memphis = $40,213 in Austin
CNN Money: $35,000 in Memphis = $39,094 in Austin
Salary.com: $35,396 in Memphis = $41,709 in Austin
Maybe you can share where you got your cost of living data and why it’s different than three popular online calculators.
http://www.bestplaces.net/cost-of-living/
George,
Based on the latest MSL and real estate market reports, average and median home prices in Austin are running around 75% higher when compared to Memphis. Simultaneously, average rent for multi-family units are 69% higher in Austin. The websites you mentioned indicate differences in housing prices (be they for rent or sale) in the 25% or less range. Obviously these site are relying on faulty or stale statistics. I would not go as far as to say these calculators are any more popular than other calculators that show results similar to those provided by SCM and perhaps that is for good reason considering the above data.
Meanwhile the cost of living calculator at the Sterling website identifies housing as the most significant variable between the two cities and notes that the cost of housing in Memphis is 71% cheaper than found in Austin. This number more closely aligns with current real estate market reports.
…sorry, meant to refer to MLS, not “MSL”.
…I also might add that is very evident in the building boom that continues in Austin. Significantly higher real estate values at all levels is supporting a frenzy of new single family communities as well as mid-rise and high rise developments.