City comparison
Chattanooga, TN vs Fayetteville, NC
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, NC (92.0, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Chattanooga, TN goes as far as $100,600 in Fayetteville, NC.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,263 a month in Chattanooga, TN versus $1,113 in Fayetteville, NC. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Chattanooga, TN and 18% in Fayetteville, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,481 a year higher in Fayetteville, NC than in Chattanooga, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.4% moving from Chattanooga, TN to Fayetteville, NC ($106,437 → $111,147), while prices change by +0.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.8% in real buying power.
- Chattanooga, TN: price level 91.5 (much cheaper)
- Fayetteville, NC: price level 92.0 (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, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.5 | 92.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,562 in Fayetteville | $99,441 in Chattanooga |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,263/mo | $1,113/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,700 | $45,620 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC |
Rent areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA MSA and Fayetteville, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA and Fayetteville, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Chattanooga | Fayetteville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.5 | 73.1 |
| Goods | 96.0 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 74.2 | 87.8 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 91.5 | 92.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Chattanooga, TN → Fayetteville, NC
Roughly even
Buying power −0.6%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$3,481/yr.
67 Fair offer
Fayetteville, NC → Chattanooga, TN
Roughly even
Buying power +0.6%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,481/yr.
71 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Chattanooga, TN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Fayetteville, NC is in Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Chattanooga, TN to Fayetteville, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Chattanooga, TN | Fayetteville, NC | Real change, Chattanooga → Fayetteville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,453 | +3.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $77,983 | +3.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,468 | +3.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,147 | +3.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,342 | +3.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Chattanooga, TN | Fayetteville, NC | Fayetteville pay in Chattanooga dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,830 | $54,350 | $54,046 (−9.7%) |
| Software Developers | $106,750 | $122,900 | $122,213 (+14.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,680 | $78,560 | $78,121 (+1.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,770 | $83,060 | $82,596 (+3.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.