City comparison
Chattanooga, TN vs Lancaster, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Lancaster, PA are 7.4% higher than in Chattanooga, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Chattanooga, TN would need about $107,400 in Lancaster, PA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,263 a month in Chattanooga, TN and $1,220 in Lancaster, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,070 a year higher in Lancaster, PA than in Chattanooga, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.0% moving from Chattanooga, TN to Lancaster, PA ($106,437 → $108,592), while prices change by +7.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.0% in real buying power.
- Chattanooga, TN: price level 91.5 (much cheaper)
- Lancaster, PA: price level 98.3 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Chattanooga, TN | Lancaster, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.5 | 98.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,427 in Lancaster | $93,086 in Chattanooga |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,263/mo | $1,220/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,700 | $48,210 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Harrisburg-Lebanon, PA |
Rent areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA MSA and Lancaster, PA MSA. Metro areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA and Lancaster, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Chattanooga | Lancaster |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.5 | 93.8 |
| Goods | 96.0 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 74.2 | 107.3 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 91.5 | 98.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Chattanooga, TN → Lancaster, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.9%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$3,070/yr.
47 Fair offer
Lancaster, PA → Chattanooga, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.4%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,070/yr.
92 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Chattanooga, TN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Lancaster, PA is in Harrisburg-Lebanon, PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Chattanooga, TN to Lancaster, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Chattanooga, TN | Lancaster, PA | Real change, Chattanooga → Lancaster |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,972 | −5.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $76,190 | −5.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $91,320 | −5.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $108,592 | −5.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $128,323 | −5.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Chattanooga, TN | Lancaster, PA | Lancaster pay in Chattanooga dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,830 | $78,360 | $72,943 (+21.9%) |
| Software Developers | $106,750 | $104,740 | $97,499 (−8.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,680 | $76,110 | $70,848 (−7.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,770 | $89,620 | $83,424 (+4.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.