City comparison
Brownsville, TX vs Chattanooga, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Chattanooga, TN are 6.4% higher than in Brownsville, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Brownsville, TX would need about $106,400 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 $866 in Brownsville, TX. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Chattanooga, TN and 13% in Brownsville, TX.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $0 a year in TX and $0 in 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 Brownsville, TX to Chattanooga, TN changes real buying power by −6.0%, purely from prices.
- Brownsville, TX: price level 86.0 (much 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
| Brownsville, TX | Chattanooga, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 86.0 | 91.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,384 in Chattanooga | $93,999 in Brownsville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $866/mo | $1,263/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $0 (TN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 13% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $36,490 | $46,700 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Brownsville-Harlingen, TX MSA and Chattanooga, TN-GA MSA. Metro areas: Brownsville-Harlingen, TX and Chattanooga, TN-GA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Brownsville | Chattanooga |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 57.7 | 76.5 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 96.0 |
| Utilities | 81.2 | 74.2 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 95.3 |
| Overall | 86.0 | 91.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Brownsville, TX → Chattanooga, TN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.0%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
50 Fair offer
Chattanooga, TN → Brownsville, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.4%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
89 Strong 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 Brownsville, TX to Chattanooga, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Brownsville, TX | Chattanooga, TN | Real change, Brownsville → Chattanooga |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −6.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −6.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −6.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −6.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −6.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Brownsville, TX | Chattanooga, TN | Chattanooga pay in Brownsville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,350 | $59,830 | $56,239 (−11.2%) |
| Software Developers | $106,990 | $106,750 | $100,344 (−6.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $66,440 | $76,680 | $72,078 (+8.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,090 | $79,770 | $74,983 (−7.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.