City comparison
Chattanooga, TN vs Kennewick, WA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Kennewick, WA are 9.4% higher than in Chattanooga, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Chattanooga, TN would need about $109,400 in Kennewick, WA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,263 a month in Chattanooga, TN and $1,268 in Kennewick, WA.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $0 a year in TN and $0 in WA.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Chattanooga, TN to Kennewick, WA changes real buying power by −8.6%, purely from prices.
- Chattanooga, TN: price level 91.5 (much cheaper)
- Kennewick, WA: price level 100.1 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Chattanooga, TN | Kennewick, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.5 | 100.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $109,419 in Kennewick | $91,392 in Chattanooga |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,263/mo | $1,268/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $0 (WA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,700 | $57,290 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA MSA and Kennewick-Richland, WA MSA. Metro areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA and Kennewick-Richland, WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Chattanooga | Kennewick |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.5 | 94.8 |
| Goods | 96.0 | 105.0 |
| Utilities | 74.2 | 93.6 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 99.5 |
| Overall | 91.5 | 100.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Chattanooga, TN → Kennewick, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.6%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
42 Weak offer
Kennewick, WA → Chattanooga, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.4%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
98 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Chattanooga, TN to Kennewick, WA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Chattanooga, TN | Kennewick, WA | Real change, Chattanooga → Kennewick |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −8.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −8.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −8.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −8.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −8.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Chattanooga, TN | Kennewick, WA | Kennewick pay in Chattanooga dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,830 | $100,380 | $91,739 (+53.3%) |
| Software Developers | $106,750 | $127,800 | $116,799 (+9.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,680 | $93,280 | $85,250 (+11.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,770 | $106,410 | $97,250 (+21.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.