City comparison
Chattanooga, TN vs Toledo, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Chattanooga, TN (91.5) and Toledo, OH (91.5, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Chattanooga, TN goes as far as $100,000 in Toledo, OH.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,263 a month in Chattanooga, TN versus $820 in Toledo, OH. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Chattanooga, TN and 13% in Toledo, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,968 a year higher in Toledo, OH 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 Toledo, OH changes real buying power by +0.0%, purely from prices.
- Chattanooga, TN: price level 91.5 (much cheaper)
- Toledo, OH: price level 91.5 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Chattanooga, TN | Toledo, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.5 | 91.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,990 in Toledo | $100,010 in Chattanooga |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,263/mo | $820/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 13% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,700 | $48,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA MSA and Toledo, OH MSA. Metro areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA and Toledo, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Chattanooga | Toledo |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.5 | 67.3 |
| Goods | 96.0 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 74.2 | 96.3 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 91.5 | 91.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Chattanooga, TN → Toledo, OH
Roughly even
Buying power +0.0%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax +$1,968/yr.
69 Fair offer
Toledo, OH → Chattanooga, TN
Roughly even
Buying power −0.0%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,968/yr.
69 Fair offer
Federal employees: GS pay
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 Toledo, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Chattanooga, TN | Toledo, OH | Real change, Chattanooga → Toledo |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +0.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +0.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +0.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +0.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +0.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Chattanooga, TN | Toledo, OH | Toledo pay in Chattanooga dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $115,160 | $103,720 | $103,730 (−9.9%) |
| Software Developers | $106,750 | $104,360 | $104,370 (−2.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,680 | $77,400 | $77,408 (+0.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,770 | $81,050 | $81,058 (+1.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.