City comparison
Chattanooga, TN vs Greenville, SC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Greenville, SC are 2.0% higher than in Chattanooga, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Chattanooga, TN would need about $102,000 in Greenville, SC to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,263 a month in Chattanooga, TN and $1,221 in Greenville, SC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,843 a year higher in Greenville, SC 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 Greenville, SC changes real buying power by −1.9%, purely from prices.
- Chattanooga, TN: price level 91.5 (much cheaper)
- Greenville, SC: price level 93.3 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Chattanooga, TN | Greenville, SC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.5 | 93.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,964 in Greenville | $98,074 in Chattanooga |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,263/mo | $1,221/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,337 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $4,843 (SC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,700 | $46,580 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA MSA and Greenville-Mauldin-Easley, SC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA and Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Chattanooga | Greenville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.5 | 76.8 |
| Goods | 96.0 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 74.2 | 88.8 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 98.3 |
| Overall | 91.5 | 93.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Chattanooga, TN → Greenville, SC
Roughly even
Buying power −1.9%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$4,843/yr.
63 Fair offer
Greenville, SC → Chattanooga, TN
Roughly even
Buying power +2.0%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$4,843/yr.
75 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 Greenville, SC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Chattanooga, TN | Greenville, SC | Real change, Chattanooga → Greenville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −1.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −1.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −1.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −1.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −1.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Chattanooga, TN | Greenville, SC | Greenville pay in Chattanooga dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,830 | $60,680 | $59,511 (−0.5%) |
| Software Developers | $106,750 | $121,790 | $119,445 (+11.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,680 | $76,870 | $75,390 (−1.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,770 | $81,400 | $79,832 (+0.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.