City comparison
Chattanooga, TN vs Dallas, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Dallas, TX are 12.7% higher than in Chattanooga, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Chattanooga, TN would need about $112,700 in Dallas, TX to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,648 a month in Dallas, TX versus $1,263 in Chattanooga, TN. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Dallas, TX and 19% in Chattanooga, TN.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $0 a year in TN and $0 in TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +8.7% moving from Chattanooga, TN to Dallas, TX ($106,437 → $115,711), while prices change by +12.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.5% in real buying power.
- Chattanooga, TN: price level 91.5 (much cheaper)
- Dallas, TX: price level 103.1 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Chattanooga, TN | Dallas, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.5 | 103.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $112,711 in Dallas | $88,722 in Chattanooga |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,263/mo | $1,648/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,700 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Dallas-Fort Worth, TX-OK |
Rent areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA MSA and Dallas, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA and Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Chattanooga | Dallas |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.5 | 117.9 |
| Goods | 96.0 | 102.8 |
| Utilities | 74.2 | 90.7 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 99.7 |
| Overall | 91.5 | 103.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Chattanooga, TN → Dallas, TX
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.3%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
38 Weak offer
Dallas, TX → Chattanooga, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.7%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Chattanooga, TN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Dallas, TX is in Dallas-Fort Worth, TX-OK. The last column shows what a transfer from Chattanooga, TN to Dallas, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Chattanooga, TN | Dallas, TX | Real change, Chattanooga → Dallas |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $67,100 | −3.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $81,186 | −3.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $97,307 | −3.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $115,711 | −3.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $136,736 | −3.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Chattanooga, TN | Dallas, TX | Dallas pay in Chattanooga dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,830 | $65,070 | $57,732 (−3.5%) |
| Software Developers | $106,750 | $133,290 | $118,258 (+10.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,680 | $82,620 | $73,303 (−4.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,770 | $101,420 | $89,982 (+12.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.