City comparison
Chattanooga, TN vs Davenport, IA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Chattanooga, TN are 2.7% higher than in Davenport, IA. Someone earning $100,000 in Davenport, IA would need about $102,700 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 $928 in Davenport, IA. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Chattanooga, TN and 15% in Davenport, IA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,148 a year higher in Davenport, IA than in Chattanooga, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.6% moving from Chattanooga, TN to Davenport, IA ($106,437 → $108,137), while prices change by −2.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.3% in real buying power.
- Chattanooga, TN: price level 91.5 (much cheaper)
- Davenport, IA: price level 89.1 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Chattanooga, TN | Davenport, IA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.5 | 89.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,392 in Davenport | $102,677 in Chattanooga |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,263/mo | $928/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,032 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $3,148 (IA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,700 | $48,550 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Davenport-Moline, IA-IL |
Rent areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA MSA and Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL MSA. Metro areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA and Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Chattanooga | Davenport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.5 | 68.3 |
| Goods | 96.0 | 94.2 |
| Utilities | 74.2 | 89.9 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 93.5 |
| Overall | 91.5 | 89.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Chattanooga, TN → Davenport, IA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.7%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$3,148/yr.
77 Strong offer
Davenport, IA → Chattanooga, TN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.6%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,148/yr.
61 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Chattanooga, TN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Davenport, IA is in Davenport-Moline, IA-IL. The last column shows what a transfer from Chattanooga, TN to Davenport, IA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Chattanooga, TN | Davenport, IA | Real change, Chattanooga → Davenport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,708 | +4.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,871 | +4.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,937 | +4.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $108,137 | +4.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $127,786 | +4.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Chattanooga, TN | Davenport, IA | Davenport pay in Chattanooga dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,830 | $61,650 | $63,301 (+5.8%) |
| Software Developers | $106,750 | $115,780 | $118,880 (+11.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,680 | $77,600 | $79,678 (+3.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,770 | $77,150 | $79,216 (−0.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.