City comparison
Chattanooga, TN vs Richmond, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Richmond, VA are 7.0% higher than in Chattanooga, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Chattanooga, TN would need about $107,000 in Richmond, VA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,507 a month in Richmond, VA versus $1,263 in Chattanooga, TN. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Richmond, VA and 19% in Chattanooga, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,936 a year higher in Richmond, VA than in Chattanooga, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.5% moving from Chattanooga, TN to Richmond, VA ($106,437 → $111,183), while prices change by +7.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.4% in real buying power.
- Chattanooga, TN: price level 91.5 (much cheaper)
- Richmond, VA: price level 97.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Chattanooga, TN | Richmond, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.5 | 97.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,991 in Richmond | $93,466 in Chattanooga |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,263/mo | $1,507/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,700 | $51,460 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Richmond, VA |
Rent areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA MSA and Richmond, VA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA and Richmond, VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Chattanooga | Richmond |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.5 | 99.1 |
| Goods | 96.0 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 74.2 | 89.2 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 91.5 | 97.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Chattanooga, TN → Richmond, VA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.5%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$4,936/yr.
48 Fair offer
Richmond, VA → Chattanooga, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.0%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$4,936/yr.
91 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Chattanooga, TN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Richmond, VA is in Richmond, VA. The last column shows what a transfer from Chattanooga, TN to Richmond, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Chattanooga, TN | Richmond, VA | Real change, Chattanooga → Richmond |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,475 | −2.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $78,009 | −2.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,499 | −2.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,183 | −2.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,385 | −2.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Chattanooga, TN | Richmond, VA | Richmond pay in Chattanooga dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,830 | $61,290 | $57,285 (−4.3%) |
| Software Developers | $106,750 | $132,120 | $123,487 (+15.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,680 | $84,220 | $78,717 (+2.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,770 | $93,580 | $87,466 (+9.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.