City comparison
Chattanooga, TN vs Little Rock, AR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Chattanooga, TN are 2.3% higher than in Little Rock, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Little Rock, AR would need about $102,300 in Chattanooga, TN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,263 a month in Chattanooga, TN versus $989 in Little Rock, AR. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Chattanooga, TN and 16% in Little Rock, AR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,687 a year higher in Little Rock, AR 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 Little Rock, AR changes real buying power by +2.3%, purely from prices.
- Chattanooga, TN: price level 91.5 (much cheaper)
- Little Rock, AR: price level 89.4 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Chattanooga, TN | Little Rock, AR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.5 | 89.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,704 in Little Rock | $102,350 in Chattanooga |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,263/mo | $989/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,493 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $3,687 (AR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,700 | $45,790 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA MSA and Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA and Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Chattanooga | Little Rock |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.5 | 68.3 |
| Goods | 96.0 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 74.2 | 74.6 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 95.3 |
| Overall | 91.5 | 89.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Chattanooga, TN → Little Rock, AR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.3%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$3,687/yr.
76 Strong offer
Little Rock, AR → Chattanooga, TN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.3%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,687/yr.
62 Fair 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 Little Rock, AR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Chattanooga, TN | Little Rock, AR | Real change, Chattanooga → Little Rock |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +2.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +2.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +2.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +2.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +2.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Chattanooga, TN | Little Rock, AR | Little Rock pay in Chattanooga dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,830 | $58,580 | $59,957 (+0.2%) |
| Software Developers | $106,750 | $104,070 | $106,516 (−0.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,680 | $65,810 | $67,356 (−12.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,770 | $81,070 | $82,975 (+4.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.