City comparison
Chattanooga, TN vs Cincinnati, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Cincinnati, OH are 4.3% higher than in Chattanooga, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Chattanooga, TN would need about $104,300 in Cincinnati, OH to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,263 a month in Chattanooga, TN versus $1,051 in Cincinnati, OH. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Chattanooga, TN and 16% in Cincinnati, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,968 a year higher in Cincinnati, OH than in Chattanooga, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.2% moving from Chattanooga, TN to Cincinnati, OH ($106,437 → $110,865), while prices change by +4.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.1% in real buying power.
- Chattanooga, TN: price level 91.5 (much cheaper)
- Cincinnati, OH: price level 95.4 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Chattanooga, TN | Cincinnati, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.5 | 95.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,271 in Cincinnati | $95,904 in Chattanooga |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,263/mo | $1,051/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,700 | $50,170 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN |
Rent areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA MSA and Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA and Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Chattanooga | Cincinnati |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.5 | 87.6 |
| Goods | 96.0 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 74.2 | 91.0 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 99.0 |
| Overall | 91.5 | 95.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Chattanooga, TN → Cincinnati, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.1%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$1,968/yr.
56 Fair offer
Cincinnati, OH → Chattanooga, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.3%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,968/yr.
82 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Chattanooga, TN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Cincinnati, OH is in Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN. The last column shows what a transfer from Chattanooga, TN to Cincinnati, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Chattanooga, TN | Cincinnati, OH | Real change, Chattanooga → Cincinnati |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,290 | −0.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $77,785 | −0.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,231 | −0.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $110,865 | −0.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,009 | −0.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Chattanooga, TN | Cincinnati, OH | Cincinnati pay in Chattanooga dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,830 | $64,740 | $62,088 (+3.8%) |
| Software Developers | $106,750 | $121,420 | $116,447 (+9.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,680 | $80,640 | $77,337 (+0.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,770 | $83,650 | $80,224 (+0.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.