City comparison
Chattanooga, TN vs Seattle, WA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Seattle, WA are 21.5% higher than in Chattanooga, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Chattanooga, TN would need about $121,500 in Seattle, WA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,146 a month in Seattle, WA versus $1,263 in Chattanooga, TN. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Seattle, WA and 19% in Chattanooga, TN.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $0 a year in TN and $0 in WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.4% moving from Chattanooga, TN to Seattle, WA ($106,437 → $119,630), while prices change by +21.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −7.5% in real buying power.
- Chattanooga, TN: price level 91.5 (much cheaper)
- Seattle, WA: price level 111.1 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Chattanooga, TN | Seattle, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.5 | 111.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $121,505 in Seattle | $82,301 in Chattanooga |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,263/mo | $2,146/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $0 (WA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 33% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,700 | $72,610 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Seattle-Tacoma, WA |
Rent areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA MSA and Seattle-Bellevue, WA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA and Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Chattanooga | Seattle |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.5 | 151.3 |
| Goods | 96.0 | 104.0 |
| Utilities | 74.2 | 92.8 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 106.8 |
| Overall | 91.5 | 111.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Chattanooga, TN → Seattle, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −17.7%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
26 Weak offer
Seattle, WA → Chattanooga, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +21.5%; 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; Seattle, WA is in Seattle-Tacoma, WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Chattanooga, TN to Seattle, WA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Chattanooga, TN | Seattle, WA | Real change, Chattanooga → Seattle |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,373 | −7.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $83,935 | −7.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $100,602 | −7.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $119,630 | −7.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $141,367 | −7.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Chattanooga, TN | Seattle, WA | Seattle pay in Chattanooga dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,830 | $102,920 | $84,705 (+41.6%) |
| Software Developers | $106,750 | $167,280 | $137,674 (+29.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,680 | $99,370 | $81,783 (+6.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,770 | $128,260 | $105,560 (+32.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.