City comparison
Baltimore, MD vs Chattanooga, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Baltimore, MD are 14.2% higher than in Chattanooga, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Chattanooga, TN would need about $114,200 in Baltimore, MD to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,511 a month in Baltimore, MD versus $1,263 in Chattanooga, TN. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Baltimore, MD and 19% in Chattanooga, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,386 a year higher in Baltimore, MD than in Chattanooga, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −12.6% moving from Baltimore, MD to Chattanooga, TN ($121,785 → $106,437), while prices change by −12.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.2% in real buying power.
- Baltimore, MD: price level 104.5 (pricier)
- 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
| Baltimore, MD | Chattanooga, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.5 | 91.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $87,536 in Chattanooga | $114,238 in Baltimore |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,511/mo | $1,263/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,794 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,386 (MD) | $0 (TN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,070 | $46,700 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD MSA and Chattanooga, TN-GA MSA. Metro areas: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD and Chattanooga, TN-GA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Baltimore | Chattanooga |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 118.2 | 76.5 |
| Goods | 102.4 | 96.0 |
| Utilities | 110.2 | 74.2 |
| Other services | 101.5 | 95.3 |
| Overall | 104.5 | 91.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Baltimore, MD → Chattanooga, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +14.2%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$4,386/yr.
100 Strong offer
Chattanooga, TN → Baltimore, MD
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.5%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$4,386/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Baltimore, MD is in the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA pay area; Chattanooga, TN is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Baltimore, MD to Chattanooga, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Baltimore, MD | Chattanooga, TN | Real change, Baltimore → Chattanooga |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $70,623 | $61,722 | −0.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $85,447 | $74,678 | −0.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $102,415 | $89,508 | −0.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $121,785 | $106,437 | −0.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $143,913 | $125,776 | −0.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Baltimore, MD | Chattanooga, TN | Chattanooga pay in Baltimore dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,400 | $59,830 | $68,349 (−10.5%) |
| Software Developers | $138,900 | $106,750 | $121,949 (−12.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,160 | $76,680 | $87,598 (+2.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,550 | $79,770 | $91,128 (−8.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.