City comparison
Chattanooga, TN vs Youngstown, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Chattanooga, TN are 4.7% higher than in Youngstown, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Youngstown, OH would need about $104,700 in Chattanooga, TN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,263 a month in Chattanooga, TN versus $771 in Youngstown, OH. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Chattanooga, TN and 12% in Youngstown, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,968 a year higher in Youngstown, OH than in Chattanooga, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.4% moving from Chattanooga, TN to Youngstown, OH ($106,437 → $111,138), while prices change by −4.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +9.3% in real buying power.
- Chattanooga, TN: price level 91.5 (much cheaper)
- Youngstown, OH: price level 87.4 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Chattanooga, TN | Youngstown, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.5 | 87.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,550 in Youngstown | $104,657 in Chattanooga |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,263/mo | $771/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% | 12% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,700 | $43,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA |
Rent areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA MSA and Youngstown-Warren, OH MSA. Metro areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA and Youngstown-Warren, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Chattanooga | Youngstown |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.5 | 53.4 |
| Goods | 96.0 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 74.2 | 96.3 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 91.5 | 87.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Chattanooga, TN → Youngstown, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.7%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax +$1,968/yr.
83 Strong offer
Youngstown, OH → Chattanooga, TN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.4%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,968/yr.
55 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Chattanooga, TN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Youngstown, OH is in Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Chattanooga, TN to Youngstown, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Chattanooga, TN | Youngstown, OH | Real change, Chattanooga → Youngstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,448 | +9.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $77,977 | +9.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,461 | +9.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,138 | +9.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,331 | +9.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Chattanooga, TN | Youngstown, OH | Youngstown pay in Chattanooga dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,830 | $72,560 | $75,939 (+26.9%) |
| Software Developers | $106,750 | $107,990 | $113,019 (+5.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,680 | $73,080 | $76,483 (−0.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,770 | $78,680 | $82,344 (+3.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.