City comparison
Boulder, CO vs Chattanooga, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boulder, CO are 15.0% higher than in Chattanooga, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Chattanooga, TN would need about $115,000 in Boulder, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,795 a month in Boulder, CO versus $1,263 in Chattanooga, TN. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Boulder, CO and 19% in Chattanooga, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,692 a year higher in Boulder, CO than in Chattanooga, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.3% moving from Boulder, CO to Chattanooga, TN ($118,675 → $106,437), while prices change by −13.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.2% in real buying power.
- Boulder, CO: price level 105.2 (pricier)
- 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
| Boulder, CO | Chattanooga, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.2 | 91.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $86,941 in Chattanooga | $115,020 in Boulder |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,795/mo | $1,263/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $0 (TN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 29% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $69,580 | $46,700 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Boulder, CO MSA and Chattanooga, TN-GA MSA. Metro areas: Boulder, CO and Chattanooga, TN-GA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boulder | Chattanooga |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 157.0 | 76.5 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 96.0 |
| Utilities | 82.7 | 74.2 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 95.3 |
| Overall | 105.2 | 91.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boulder, CO → Chattanooga, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +15.0%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,692/yr.
100 Strong offer
Chattanooga, TN → Boulder, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −13.1%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax +$3,692/yr.
32 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boulder, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Chattanooga, TN is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Boulder, CO to Chattanooga, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boulder, CO | Chattanooga, TN | Real change, Boulder → Chattanooga |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $61,722 | +3.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $74,678 | +3.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $89,508 | +3.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $106,437 | +3.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $125,776 | +3.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boulder, CO | Chattanooga, TN | Chattanooga pay in Boulder dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,640 | $59,830 | $68,817 (−14.7%) |
| Software Developers | $164,560 | $106,750 | $122,784 (−25.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,990 | $76,680 | $88,197 (−11.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,290 | $79,770 | $91,752 (−11.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.