City comparison
Chattanooga, TN vs Durham, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Durham, NC are 6.7% higher than in Chattanooga, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Chattanooga, TN would need about $106,700 in Durham, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,507 a month in Durham, NC versus $1,263 in Chattanooga, TN. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Durham, NC and 19% in Chattanooga, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,481 a year higher in Durham, NC than in Chattanooga, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.4% moving from Chattanooga, TN to Durham, NC ($106,437 → $111,147), while prices change by +6.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.1% in real buying power.
- Chattanooga, TN: price level 91.5 (much cheaper)
- Durham, NC: price level 97.6 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Chattanooga, TN | Durham, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.5 | 97.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,678 in Durham | $93,740 in Chattanooga |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,263/mo | $1,507/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,700 | $60,720 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC |
Rent areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA MSA and Durham-Chapel Hill, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA and Durham-Chapel Hill, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Chattanooga | Durham |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.5 | 98.9 |
| Goods | 96.0 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 74.2 | 89.3 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 91.5 | 97.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Chattanooga, TN → Durham, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.3%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$3,481/yr.
49 Fair offer
Durham, NC → Chattanooga, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.7%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,481/yr.
90 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Chattanooga, TN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Durham, NC is in Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Chattanooga, TN to Durham, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Chattanooga, TN | Durham, NC | Real change, Chattanooga → Durham |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,453 | −2.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $77,983 | −2.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,468 | −2.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,147 | −2.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,342 | −2.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Chattanooga, TN | Durham, NC | Durham pay in Chattanooga dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,830 | $51,400 | $48,182 (−19.5%) |
| Software Developers | $106,750 | $135,620 | $127,130 (+19.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,680 | $85,090 | $79,763 (+4.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,770 | not published | — |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.