City comparison
Chattanooga, TN vs Fayetteville, AR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Chattanooga, TN (91.5) and Fayetteville, AR (91.4, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Chattanooga, TN goes as far as $99,900 in Fayetteville, AR.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,263 a month in Chattanooga, TN versus $1,115 in Fayetteville, AR. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Chattanooga, TN and 18% in Fayetteville, AR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,687 a year higher in Fayetteville, AR 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 Chattanooga, TN to Fayetteville, AR changes real buying power by +0.1%, purely from prices.
- Chattanooga, TN: price level 91.5 (much cheaper)
- Fayetteville, AR: price level 91.4 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Chattanooga, TN | Fayetteville, AR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.5 | 91.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,879 in Fayetteville | $100,122 in Chattanooga |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,263/mo | $1,115/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,493 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $3,687 (AR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,700 | $46,610 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA MSA and Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR MSA. Metro areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA and Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Chattanooga | Fayetteville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.5 | 76.9 |
| Goods | 96.0 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 74.2 | 75.1 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 95.3 |
| Overall | 91.5 | 91.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Chattanooga, TN → Fayetteville, AR
Roughly even
Buying power +0.1%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$3,687/yr.
69 Fair offer
Fayetteville, AR → Chattanooga, TN
Roughly even
Buying power −0.1%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,687/yr.
68 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 Chattanooga, TN to Fayetteville, AR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Chattanooga, TN | Fayetteville, AR | Real change, Chattanooga → Fayetteville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +0.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +0.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +0.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +0.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +0.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Chattanooga, TN | Fayetteville, AR | Fayetteville pay in Chattanooga dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,830 | $61,010 | $61,084 (+2.1%) |
| Software Developers | $106,750 | $105,130 | $105,258 (−1.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,680 | $77,190 | $77,284 (+0.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,770 | $77,910 | $78,005 (−2.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.