City comparison
Chattanooga, TN vs Merced, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Merced, CA are 7.4% higher than in Chattanooga, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Chattanooga, TN would need about $107,400 in Merced, CA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,263 a month in Chattanooga, TN and $1,213 in Merced, CA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,070 a year higher in Merced, CA than in Chattanooga, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +25.0% moving from Chattanooga, TN to Merced, CA ($106,437 → $133,060), while prices change by +7.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +16.3% in real buying power.
- Chattanooga, TN: price level 91.5 (much cheaper)
- Merced, CA: 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 | Merced, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.5 | 98.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,447 in Merced | $93,069 in Chattanooga |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,263/mo | $1,213/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,700 | $47,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA |
Rent areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA MSA and Merced, CA MSA. Metro areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA and Merced, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Chattanooga | Merced |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.5 | 78.6 |
| Goods | 96.0 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 74.2 | 158.3 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 91.5 | 98.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Chattanooga, TN → Merced, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.9%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$5,070/yr.
47 Fair offer
Merced, CA → Chattanooga, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.4%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$5,070/yr.
92 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Chattanooga, TN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Merced, CA is in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Chattanooga, TN to Merced, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Chattanooga, TN | Merced, CA | Real change, Chattanooga → Merced |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $77,161 | +16.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $93,358 | +16.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $111,896 | +16.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $133,060 | +16.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $157,236 | +16.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Chattanooga, TN | Merced, CA | Merced pay in Chattanooga dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,830 | $100,120 | $93,181 (+55.7%) |
| Software Developers | $106,750 | $132,120 | $122,963 (+15.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,680 | $80,420 | $74,846 (−2.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,770 | $131,620 | $122,498 (+53.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.