City comparison
Augusta, GA vs Chattanooga, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Augusta, GA (91.9) and Chattanooga, TN (91.5, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Augusta, GA goes as far as $99,500 in Chattanooga, TN.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,263 a month in Chattanooga, TN versus $1,114 in Augusta, GA. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Chattanooga, TN and 18% in Augusta, GA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,567 a year higher in Augusta, GA than in Chattanooga, TN.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Augusta, GA to Chattanooga, TN changes real buying power by +0.5%, purely from prices.
- Augusta, GA: price level 91.9 (much cheaper)
- Chattanooga, TN: price level 91.5 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Augusta, GA | Chattanooga, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.9 | 91.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,522 in Chattanooga | $100,480 in Augusta |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,114/mo | $1,263/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,613 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,567 (GA) | $0 (TN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,990 | $46,700 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Chattanooga, TN-GA MSA. Metro areas: Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC and Chattanooga, TN-GA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Augusta | Chattanooga |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 70.6 | 76.5 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.0 |
| Utilities | 89.5 | 74.2 |
| Other services | 98.5 | 95.3 |
| Overall | 91.9 | 91.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Augusta, GA → Chattanooga, TN
Roughly even
Buying power +0.5%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$4,567/yr.
70 Strong offer
Chattanooga, TN → Augusta, GA
Roughly even
Buying power −0.5%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$4,567/yr.
67 Fair offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Augusta, GA to Chattanooga, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Augusta, GA | Chattanooga, TN | Real change, Augusta → Chattanooga |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +0.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +0.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +0.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +0.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +0.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Augusta, GA | Chattanooga, TN | Chattanooga pay in Augusta dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $106,110 | $115,160 | $115,713 (+9.0%) |
| Software Developers | $119,780 | $106,750 | $107,262 (−10.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,710 | $76,680 | $77,048 (+0.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $87,760 | $79,770 | $80,153 (−8.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.