City comparison
Chattanooga, TN vs Grand Rapids, MI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Grand Rapids, MI are 4.5% higher than in Chattanooga, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Chattanooga, TN would need about $104,500 in Grand Rapids, MI to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,263 a month in Chattanooga, TN and $1,278 in Grand Rapids, MI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,999 a year higher in Grand Rapids, MI 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 Grand Rapids, MI changes real buying power by −4.3%, purely from prices.
- Chattanooga, TN: price level 91.5 (much cheaper)
- Grand Rapids, MI: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Chattanooga, TN | Grand Rapids, MI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.5 | 95.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,463 in Grand Rapids | $95,728 in Chattanooga |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,263/mo | $1,278/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,181 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $3,999 (MI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,700 | $47,570 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA MSA and Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA and Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Chattanooga | Grand Rapids |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.5 | 86.6 |
| Goods | 96.0 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 74.2 | 93.8 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 91.5 | 95.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Chattanooga, TN → Grand Rapids, MI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.3%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$3,999/yr.
55 Fair offer
Grand Rapids, MI → Chattanooga, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.5%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,999/yr.
83 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 Chattanooga, TN to Grand Rapids, MI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Chattanooga, TN | Grand Rapids, MI | Real change, Chattanooga → Grand Rapids |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −4.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −4.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −4.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −4.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −4.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Chattanooga, TN | Grand Rapids, MI | Grand Rapids pay in Chattanooga dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,830 | $61,900 | $59,255 (−1.0%) |
| Software Developers | $106,750 | $107,520 | $102,926 (−3.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,680 | $76,270 | $73,012 (−4.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,770 | $83,920 | $80,335 (+0.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.