City comparison
Chattanooga, TN vs Minneapolis, MN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Minneapolis, MN are 14.6% higher than in Chattanooga, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Chattanooga, TN would need about $114,600 in Minneapolis, MN to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,405 a month in Minneapolis, MN versus $1,263 in Chattanooga, TN. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Minneapolis, MN and 19% in Chattanooga, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,277 a year higher in Minneapolis, MN than in Chattanooga, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +9.0% moving from Chattanooga, TN to Minneapolis, MN ($106,437 → $116,038), while prices change by +14.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.9% in real buying power.
- Chattanooga, TN: price level 91.5 (much cheaper)
- Minneapolis, MN: price level 104.8 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Chattanooga, TN | Minneapolis, MN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.5 | 104.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $114,605 in Minneapolis | $87,256 in Chattanooga |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,263/mo | $1,405/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $73,903 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $5,277 (MN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,700 | $59,320 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI |
Rent areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA MSA and Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA and Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Chattanooga | Minneapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.5 | 111.8 |
| Goods | 96.0 | 103.1 |
| Utilities | 74.2 | 93.5 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 104.4 |
| Overall | 91.5 | 104.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Chattanooga, TN → Minneapolis, MN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.7%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$5,277/yr.
38 Weak offer
Minneapolis, MN → Chattanooga, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +14.6%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$5,277/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Chattanooga, TN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Minneapolis, MN is in Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Chattanooga, TN to Minneapolis, MN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Chattanooga, TN | Minneapolis, MN | Real change, Chattanooga → Minneapolis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $67,290 | −4.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $81,415 | −4.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $97,582 | −4.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $116,038 | −4.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $137,123 | −4.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Chattanooga, TN | Minneapolis, MN | Minneapolis pay in Chattanooga dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,830 | $79,730 | $69,570 (+16.3%) |
| Software Developers | $106,750 | $130,920 | $114,236 (+7.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,680 | $86,500 | $75,477 (−1.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,770 | $103,040 | $89,909 (+12.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.