City comparison
Chattanooga, TN vs Houston, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Houston, TX are 7.8% higher than in Chattanooga, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Chattanooga, TN would need about $107,800 in Houston, TX to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,263 a month in Chattanooga, TN and $1,323 in Houston, TX.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $0 a year in TN and $0 in TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +15.3% moving from Chattanooga, TN to Houston, TX ($106,437 → $122,749), while prices change by +7.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.9% in real buying power.
- Chattanooga, TN: price level 91.5 (much cheaper)
- Houston, TX: price level 98.6 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Chattanooga, TN | Houston, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.5 | 98.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,834 in Houston | $92,735 in Chattanooga |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,263/mo | $1,323/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,700 | $49,410 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Houston-The Woodlands, TX |
Rent areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA MSA and Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA and Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Chattanooga | Houston |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.5 | 104.5 |
| Goods | 96.0 | 100.6 |
| Utilities | 74.2 | 95.3 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 95.6 |
| Overall | 91.5 | 98.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Chattanooga, TN → Houston, TX
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.3%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
46 Fair offer
Houston, TX → Chattanooga, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.8%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
93 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Chattanooga, TN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Houston, TX is in Houston-The Woodlands, TX. The last column shows what a transfer from Chattanooga, TN to Houston, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Chattanooga, TN | Houston, TX | Real change, Chattanooga → Houston |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $71,181 | +6.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $86,123 | +6.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $103,225 | +6.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $122,749 | +6.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $145,052 | +6.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Chattanooga, TN | Houston, TX | Houston pay in Chattanooga dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,830 | $64,500 | $59,814 (−0.0%) |
| Software Developers | $106,750 | $129,440 | $120,037 (+12.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,680 | $85,090 | $78,909 (+2.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,770 | $99,830 | $92,578 (+16.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.