City comparison
Asheville, NC vs Chattanooga, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Asheville, NC are 5.5% higher than in Chattanooga, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Chattanooga, TN would need about $105,500 in Asheville, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,429 a month in Asheville, NC versus $1,263 in Chattanooga, TN. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Asheville, NC and 19% in Chattanooga, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,481 a year higher in Asheville, NC 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 Asheville, NC to Chattanooga, TN changes real buying power by +5.5%, purely from prices.
- Asheville, NC: price level 96.5 (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
| Asheville, NC | Chattanooga, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.5 | 91.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,775 in Chattanooga | $105,513 in Asheville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,429/mo | $1,263/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $0 (TN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,870 | $46,700 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Asheville, NC MSA and Chattanooga, TN-GA MSA. Metro areas: Asheville, NC and Chattanooga, TN-GA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Asheville | Chattanooga |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.4 | 76.5 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 96.0 |
| Utilities | 88.6 | 74.2 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 95.3 |
| Overall | 96.5 | 91.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Asheville, NC → Chattanooga, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.5%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,481/yr.
86 Strong offer
Chattanooga, TN → Asheville, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.2%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$3,481/yr.
52 Fair 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 Asheville, NC to Chattanooga, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Asheville, NC | Chattanooga, TN | Real change, Asheville → Chattanooga |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +5.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +5.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +5.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +5.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +5.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Asheville, NC | Chattanooga, TN | Chattanooga pay in Asheville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,080 | $59,830 | $63,128 (+26.1%) |
| Software Developers | $134,350 | $106,750 | $112,635 (−16.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,400 | $76,680 | $80,907 (+0.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,590 | $79,770 | $84,167 (+3.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.