City comparison
Chattanooga, TN vs Des Moines, IA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Chattanooga, TN (91.5) and Des Moines, IA (91.7, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Chattanooga, TN goes as far as $100,300 in Des Moines, IA.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,263 a month in Chattanooga, TN versus $1,109 in Des Moines, IA. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Chattanooga, TN and 18% in Des Moines, IA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,148 a year higher in Des Moines, IA than in Chattanooga, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.8% moving from Chattanooga, TN to Des Moines, IA ($106,437 → $107,301), while prices change by +0.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.6% in real buying power.
- Chattanooga, TN: price level 91.5 (much cheaper)
- Des Moines, IA: price level 91.7 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Chattanooga, TN | Des Moines, IA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.5 | 91.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,259 in Des Moines | $99,742 in Chattanooga |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,263/mo | $1,109/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,032 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $3,148 (IA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,700 | $51,820 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA |
Rent areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA MSA and Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA and Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Chattanooga | Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.5 | 84.7 |
| Goods | 96.0 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 74.2 | 84.6 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 92.9 |
| Overall | 91.5 | 91.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Chattanooga, TN → Des Moines, IA
Roughly even
Buying power −0.3%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$3,148/yr.
68 Fair offer
Des Moines, IA → Chattanooga, TN
Roughly even
Buying power +0.3%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,148/yr.
70 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Chattanooga, TN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Des Moines, IA is in Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA. The last column shows what a transfer from Chattanooga, TN to Des Moines, IA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Chattanooga, TN | Des Moines, IA | Real change, Chattanooga → Des Moines |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,223 | +0.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,284 | +0.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,234 | +0.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $107,301 | +0.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $126,797 | +0.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Chattanooga, TN | Des Moines, IA | Des Moines pay in Chattanooga dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,830 | $61,650 | $61,491 (+2.8%) |
| Software Developers | $106,750 | $126,460 | $126,133 (+18.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,680 | $79,290 | $79,085 (+3.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,770 | $78,630 | $78,427 (−1.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.