City comparison
Chattanooga, TN vs Omaha, NE
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Chattanooga, TN (91.5) and Omaha, NE (91.9, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Chattanooga, TN goes as far as $100,500 in Omaha, NE.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,263 a month in Chattanooga, TN versus $1,148 in Omaha, NE. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Chattanooga, TN and 18% in Omaha, NE.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,670 a year higher in Omaha, NE than in Chattanooga, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.0% moving from Chattanooga, TN to Omaha, NE ($106,437 → $107,501), while prices change by +0.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.5% in real buying power.
- Chattanooga, TN: price level 91.5 (much cheaper)
- Omaha, NE: price level 91.9 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Chattanooga, TN | Omaha, NE | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.5 | 91.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,489 in Omaha | $99,514 in Chattanooga |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,263/mo | $1,148/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,510 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $3,670 (NE) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,700 | $49,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA |
Rent areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA MSA and Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA and Omaha, NE-IA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Chattanooga | Omaha |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.5 | 86.4 |
| Goods | 96.0 | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 74.2 | 76.4 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 93.0 |
| Overall | 91.5 | 91.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Chattanooga, TN → Omaha, NE
Roughly even
Buying power −0.5%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$3,670/yr.
67 Fair offer
Omaha, NE → Chattanooga, TN
Roughly even
Buying power +0.5%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,670/yr.
70 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Chattanooga, TN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Omaha, NE is in Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA. The last column shows what a transfer from Chattanooga, TN to Omaha, NE at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Chattanooga, TN | Omaha, NE | Real change, Chattanooga → Omaha |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,339 | +0.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,425 | +0.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,402 | +0.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $107,501 | +0.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $127,033 | +0.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Chattanooga, TN | Omaha, NE | Omaha pay in Chattanooga dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,830 | $62,670 | $62,365 (+4.2%) |
| Software Developers | $106,750 | $125,220 | $124,611 (+16.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,680 | $77,030 | $76,655 (−0.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,770 | $84,600 | $84,189 (+5.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.