City comparison
Chattanooga, TN vs Lexington, KY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Lexington, KY are 1.6% higher than in Chattanooga, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Chattanooga, TN would need about $101,600 in Lexington, KY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,263 a month in Chattanooga, TN versus $1,079 in Lexington, KY. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Chattanooga, TN and 17% in Lexington, KY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,382 a year higher in Lexington, KY than in Chattanooga, TN.
- 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 Lexington, KY changes real buying power by −1.5%, purely from prices.
- Chattanooga, TN: price level 91.5 (much cheaper)
- Lexington, KY: price level 92.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Chattanooga, TN | Lexington, KY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.5 | 92.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,558 in Lexington | $98,466 in Chattanooga |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,263/mo | $1,079/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,798 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $3,382 (KY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,700 | $48,620 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA MSA and Lexington-Fayette, KY MSA. Metro areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA and Lexington-Fayette, KY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Chattanooga | Lexington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.5 | 77.1 |
| Goods | 96.0 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 74.2 | 74.6 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 96.9 |
| Overall | 91.5 | 92.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Chattanooga, TN → Lexington, KY
Roughly even
Buying power −1.5%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$3,382/yr.
64 Fair offer
Lexington, KY → Chattanooga, TN
Roughly even
Buying power +1.6%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,382/yr.
74 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 Lexington, KY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Chattanooga, TN | Lexington, KY | Real change, Chattanooga → Lexington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −1.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −1.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −1.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −1.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −1.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Chattanooga, TN | Lexington, KY | Lexington pay in Chattanooga dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,830 | $61,460 | $60,517 (+1.1%) |
| Software Developers | $106,750 | $123,510 | $121,615 (+13.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,680 | $77,780 | $76,587 (−0.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,770 | $79,040 | $77,827 (−2.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.