City comparison
Chattanooga, TN vs Huntsville, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Huntsville, AL are 1.8% higher than in Chattanooga, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Chattanooga, TN would need about $101,800 in Huntsville, AL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,263 a month in Chattanooga, TN versus $1,136 in Huntsville, AL. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Chattanooga, TN and 18% in Huntsville, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,735 a year higher in Huntsville, AL than in Chattanooga, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.1% moving from Chattanooga, TN to Huntsville, AL ($106,437 → $110,847), while prices change by +1.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.3% in real buying power.
- Chattanooga, TN: price level 91.5 (much cheaper)
- Huntsville, AL: price level 93.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Chattanooga, TN | Huntsville, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.5 | 93.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,758 in Huntsville | $98,272 in Chattanooga |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,263/mo | $1,136/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,700 | $51,740 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN |
Rent areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA MSA and Huntsville, AL MSA. Metro areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA and Huntsville, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Chattanooga | Huntsville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.5 | 77.9 |
| Goods | 96.0 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 74.2 | 83.9 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 91.5 | 93.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Chattanooga, TN → Huntsville, AL
Roughly even
Buying power −1.7%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$4,735/yr.
63 Fair offer
Huntsville, AL → Chattanooga, TN
Roughly even
Buying power +1.8%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$4,735/yr.
74 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Chattanooga, TN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Huntsville, AL is in Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN. The last column shows what a transfer from Chattanooga, TN to Huntsville, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Chattanooga, TN | Huntsville, AL | Real change, Chattanooga → Huntsville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,279 | +2.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $77,772 | +2.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,216 | +2.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $110,847 | +2.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $130,987 | +2.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Chattanooga, TN | Huntsville, AL | Huntsville pay in Chattanooga dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,830 | $62,250 | $61,175 (+2.2%) |
| Software Developers | $106,750 | $128,080 | $125,867 (+17.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,680 | $79,220 | $77,851 (+1.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,770 | $77,090 | $75,758 (−5.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.