City comparison
Chattanooga, TN vs Reno, NV
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Reno, NV are 10.4% higher than in Chattanooga, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Chattanooga, TN would need about $110,400 in Reno, NV to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,489 a month in Reno, NV versus $1,263 in Chattanooga, TN. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Reno, NV and 19% in Chattanooga, TN.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $0 a year in TN and $0 in NV.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.4% moving from Chattanooga, TN to Reno, NV ($106,437 → $106,855), while prices change by +10.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −9.1% in real buying power.
- Chattanooga, TN: price level 91.5 (much cheaper)
- Reno, NV: price level 101.0 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Chattanooga, TN | Reno, NV | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.5 | 101.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $110,441 in Reno | $90,546 in Chattanooga |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,263/mo | $1,489/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $0 (NV) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,700 | $49,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Reno-Fernley, NV |
Rent areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA MSA and Reno, NV HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA and Reno, NV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Chattanooga | Reno |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.5 | 123.5 |
| Goods | 96.0 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 74.2 | 89.3 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 98.7 |
| Overall | 91.5 | 101.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Chattanooga, TN → Reno, NV
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.5%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
39 Weak offer
Reno, NV → Chattanooga, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.4%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Chattanooga, TN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Reno, NV is in Reno-Fernley, NV. The last column shows what a transfer from Chattanooga, TN to Reno, NV at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Chattanooga, TN | Reno, NV | Real change, Chattanooga → Reno |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,965 | −9.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,972 | −9.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,859 | −9.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,855 | −9.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $126,271 | −9.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Chattanooga, TN | Reno, NV | Reno pay in Chattanooga dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,830 | $62,430 | $56,528 (−5.5%) |
| Software Developers | $106,750 | $125,710 | $113,825 (+6.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,680 | $82,370 | $74,583 (−2.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,770 | $107,520 | $97,355 (+22.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.