City comparison
Chattanooga, TN vs Rochester, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Rochester, NY are 6.1% higher than in Chattanooga, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Chattanooga, TN would need about $106,100 in Rochester, NY to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,263 a month in Chattanooga, TN and $1,256 in Rochester, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,860 a year higher in Rochester, NY than in Chattanooga, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.7% moving from Chattanooga, TN to Rochester, NY ($106,437 → $107,182), while prices change by +6.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.1% in real buying power.
- Chattanooga, TN: price level 91.5 (much cheaper)
- Rochester, NY: price level 97.0 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Chattanooga, TN | Rochester, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.5 | 97.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,091 in Rochester | $94,259 in Chattanooga |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,263/mo | $1,256/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,700 | $51,210 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY |
Rent areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA MSA and Rochester, NY MSA. Metro areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA and Rochester, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Chattanooga | Rochester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.5 | 87.5 |
| Goods | 96.0 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 74.2 | 133.2 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 91.5 | 97.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Chattanooga, TN → Rochester, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.7%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$4,860/yr.
51 Fair offer
Rochester, NY → Chattanooga, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.1%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$4,860/yr.
88 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Chattanooga, TN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Rochester, NY is in Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY. The last column shows what a transfer from Chattanooga, TN to Rochester, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Chattanooga, TN | Rochester, NY | Real change, Chattanooga → Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,155 | −5.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,202 | −5.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,135 | −5.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $107,182 | −5.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $126,657 | −5.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Chattanooga, TN | Rochester, NY | Rochester pay in Chattanooga dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,830 | $62,840 | $59,232 (−1.0%) |
| Software Developers | $106,750 | $122,770 | $115,721 (+8.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,680 | $80,890 | $76,246 (−0.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,770 | $86,570 | $81,600 (+2.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.