City comparison
Chattanooga, TN vs Jacksonville, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Jacksonville, FL are 8.8% higher than in Chattanooga, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Chattanooga, TN would need about $108,800 in Jacksonville, FL to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,382 a month in Jacksonville, FL versus $1,263 in Chattanooga, TN. On $100,000, that's 21% of take-home pay in Jacksonville, FL and 19% in Chattanooga, TN.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $0 a year in TN and $0 in FL.
- 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 Jacksonville, FL changes real buying power by −8.1%, purely from prices.
- Chattanooga, TN: price level 91.5 (much cheaper)
- Jacksonville, FL: price level 99.5 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Chattanooga, TN | Jacksonville, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.5 | 99.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $108,768 in Jacksonville | $91,938 in Chattanooga |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,263/mo | $1,382/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 21% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,700 | $48,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA MSA and Jacksonville, FL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA and Jacksonville, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Chattanooga | Jacksonville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.5 | 109.8 |
| Goods | 96.0 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 74.2 | 87.5 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 91.5 | 99.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Chattanooga, TN → Jacksonville, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.1%; rent takes 21% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
44 Weak offer
Jacksonville, FL → Chattanooga, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.8%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
96 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 Jacksonville, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Chattanooga, TN | Jacksonville, FL | Real change, Chattanooga → Jacksonville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −8.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −8.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −8.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −8.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −8.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Chattanooga, TN | Jacksonville, FL | Jacksonville pay in Chattanooga dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,830 | $61,080 | $56,156 (−6.1%) |
| Software Developers | $106,750 | $130,330 | $119,823 (+12.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,680 | $79,960 | $73,514 (−4.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,770 | $83,520 | $76,787 (−3.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.