City comparison
Chattanooga, TN vs Nashville, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Nashville, TN are 5.3% higher than in Chattanooga, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Chattanooga, TN would need about $105,300 in Nashville, TN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,578 a month in Nashville, TN versus $1,263 in Chattanooga, TN. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Nashville, TN and 19% in Chattanooga, TN.
- Both are in TN, so estimated state income tax is the same: $0 a year on $100,000.
- 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 Nashville, TN changes real buying power by −5.1%, purely from prices.
- Chattanooga, TN: price level 91.5 (much cheaper)
- Nashville, TN: price level 96.3 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Chattanooga, TN | Nashville, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.5 | 96.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,329 in Nashville | $94,941 in Chattanooga |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,263/mo | $1,578/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $0 (TN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,700 | $50,390 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA MSA and Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA and Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Chattanooga | Nashville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.5 | 104.6 |
| Goods | 96.0 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 74.2 | 72.0 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 95.1 |
| Overall | 91.5 | 96.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Chattanooga, TN → Nashville, TN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.1%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
53 Fair offer
Nashville, TN → Chattanooga, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.3%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
85 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 Nashville, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Chattanooga, TN | Nashville, TN | Real change, Chattanooga → Nashville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −5.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −5.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −5.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −5.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −5.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Chattanooga, TN | Nashville, TN | Nashville pay in Chattanooga dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,830 | $61,460 | $58,351 (−2.5%) |
| Software Developers | $106,750 | $126,610 | $120,204 (+12.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,680 | $78,080 | $74,130 (−3.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,770 | $84,040 | $79,788 (+0.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.