City comparison
Chattanooga, TN vs Scranton, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Scranton, PA are 2.3% higher than in Chattanooga, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Chattanooga, TN would need about $102,300 in Scranton, PA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,263 a month in Chattanooga, TN versus $1,028 in Scranton, PA. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Chattanooga, TN and 16% in Scranton, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,070 a year higher in Scranton, PA than in Chattanooga, TN.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Chattanooga, TN to Scranton, PA changes real buying power by −2.2%, purely from prices.
- Chattanooga, TN: price level 91.5 (much cheaper)
- Scranton, PA: price level 93.6 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Chattanooga, TN | Scranton, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.5 | 93.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,287 in Scranton | $97,764 in Chattanooga |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,263/mo | $1,028/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% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,700 | $46,330 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA MSA and Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA MSA. Metro areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA and Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Chattanooga | Scranton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.5 | 67.0 |
| Goods | 96.0 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 74.2 | 106.5 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 91.5 | 93.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Chattanooga, TN → Scranton, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.2%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$3,070/yr.
62 Fair offer
Scranton, PA → Chattanooga, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.3%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,070/yr.
76 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Chattanooga, TN to Scranton, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Chattanooga, TN | Scranton, PA | Real change, Chattanooga → Scranton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −2.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −2.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −2.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −2.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −2.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Chattanooga, TN | Scranton, PA | Scranton pay in Chattanooga dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,830 | $76,590 | $74,877 (+25.2%) |
| Software Developers | $106,750 | $119,960 | $117,278 (+9.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,680 | $70,480 | $68,904 (−10.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,770 | $82,650 | $80,802 (+1.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.