City comparison
Chattanooga, TN vs Columbus, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Columbus, OH are 4.4% higher than in Chattanooga, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Chattanooga, TN would need about $104,400 in Columbus, OH to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,263 a month in Chattanooga, TN versus $1,194 in Columbus, OH. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Chattanooga, TN and 19% in Columbus, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,968 a year higher in Columbus, OH than in Chattanooga, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.3% moving from Chattanooga, TN to Columbus, OH ($106,437 → $111,065), while prices change by +4.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.0% in real buying power.
- Chattanooga, TN: price level 91.5 (much cheaper)
- Columbus, OH: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Chattanooga, TN | Columbus, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.5 | 95.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,379 in Columbus | $95,805 in Chattanooga |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,263/mo | $1,194/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% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,700 | $51,340 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH |
Rent areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA MSA and Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA and Columbus, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Chattanooga | Columbus |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.5 | 87.9 |
| Goods | 96.0 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 74.2 | 95.5 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 91.5 | 95.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Chattanooga, TN → Columbus, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.2%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$1,968/yr.
56 Fair offer
Columbus, OH → Chattanooga, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.4%; 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; Columbus, OH is in Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH. The last column shows what a transfer from Chattanooga, TN to Columbus, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Chattanooga, TN | Columbus, OH | Real change, Chattanooga → Columbus |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,406 | −0.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $77,926 | −0.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,400 | −0.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,065 | −0.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,245 | −0.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Chattanooga, TN | Columbus, OH | Columbus pay in Chattanooga dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,830 | $78,150 | $74,872 (+25.1%) |
| Software Developers | $106,750 | $122,340 | $117,208 (+9.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,680 | $81,700 | $78,273 (+2.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,770 | $83,900 | $80,380 (+0.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.