City comparison
Chattanooga, TN vs Pittsburgh, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Pittsburgh, PA are 3.5% higher than in Chattanooga, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Chattanooga, TN would need about $103,500 in Pittsburgh, PA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,263 a month in Chattanooga, TN versus $1,077 in Pittsburgh, PA. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Chattanooga, TN and 17% in Pittsburgh, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,070 a year higher in Pittsburgh, PA than in Chattanooga, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.4% moving from Chattanooga, TN to Pittsburgh, PA ($106,437 → $110,047), while prices change by +3.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.1% in real buying power.
- Chattanooga, TN: price level 91.5 (much cheaper)
- Pittsburgh, PA: price level 94.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Chattanooga, TN | Pittsburgh, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.5 | 94.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,506 in Pittsburgh | $96,612 in Chattanooga |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,263/mo | $1,077/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,700 | $49,650 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV |
Rent areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA MSA and Pittsburgh, PA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA and Pittsburgh, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Chattanooga | Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.5 | 72.0 |
| Goods | 96.0 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 74.2 | 107.7 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 91.5 | 94.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Chattanooga, TN → Pittsburgh, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.4%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$3,070/yr.
58 Fair offer
Pittsburgh, PA → Chattanooga, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.5%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,070/yr.
80 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Chattanooga, TN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Pittsburgh, PA is in Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV. The last column shows what a transfer from Chattanooga, TN to Pittsburgh, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Chattanooga, TN | Pittsburgh, PA | Real change, Chattanooga → Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $63,815 | −0.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $77,211 | −0.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $92,543 | −0.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $110,047 | −0.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $130,042 | −0.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Chattanooga, TN | Pittsburgh, PA | Pittsburgh pay in Chattanooga dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,830 | $76,550 | $73,957 (+23.6%) |
| Software Developers | $106,750 | $124,500 | $120,283 (+12.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,680 | $76,940 | $74,334 (−3.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,770 | $82,370 | $79,580 (−0.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.