City comparison
Akron, OH vs Chattanooga, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Akron, OH are 2.1% higher than in Chattanooga, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Chattanooga, TN would need about $102,100 in Akron, OH to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,263 a month in Chattanooga, TN versus $985 in Akron, OH. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Chattanooga, TN and 15% in Akron, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,968 a year higher in Akron, OH than in Chattanooga, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Akron, OH to Chattanooga, TN ($111,138 → $106,437), while prices change by −2.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.2% in real buying power.
- Akron, OH: price level 93.4 (cheaper)
- Chattanooga, TN: 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
| Akron, OH | Chattanooga, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.4 | 91.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,959 in Chattanooga | $102,084 in Akron |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $985/mo | $1,263/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $0 (TN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,840 | $46,700 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Akron, OH MSA and Chattanooga, TN-GA MSA. Metro areas: Akron, OH and Chattanooga, TN-GA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Akron | Chattanooga |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.8 | 76.5 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.0 |
| Utilities | 96.4 | 74.2 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 95.3 |
| Overall | 93.4 | 91.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Akron, OH → Chattanooga, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.1%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,968/yr.
75 Strong offer
Chattanooga, TN → Akron, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.0%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$1,968/yr.
62 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Akron, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; Chattanooga, TN is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Akron, OH to Chattanooga, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Akron, OH | Chattanooga, TN | Real change, Akron → Chattanooga |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $61,722 | −2.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $74,678 | −2.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $89,508 | −2.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $106,437 | −2.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $125,776 | −2.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Akron, OH | Chattanooga, TN | Chattanooga pay in Akron dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,560 | $59,830 | $61,077 (−22.3%) |
| Software Developers | $105,430 | $106,750 | $108,975 (+3.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,540 | $76,680 | $78,278 (−0.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,770 | $79,770 | $81,432 (+0.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.