City comparison
Chattanooga, TN vs Louisville, KY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Louisville, KY are 1.8% higher than in Chattanooga, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Chattanooga, TN would need about $101,800 in Louisville, KY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,263 a month in Chattanooga, TN versus $1,047 in Louisville, KY. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Chattanooga, TN and 17% in Louisville, KY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,382 a year higher in Louisville, KY 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 Louisville, KY changes real buying power by −1.7%, purely from prices.
- Chattanooga, TN: price level 91.5 (much cheaper)
- Louisville, KY: price level 93.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Chattanooga, TN | Louisville, KY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.5 | 93.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,760 in Louisville | $98,270 in Chattanooga |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,263/mo | $1,047/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,798 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $3,382 (KY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,700 | $48,370 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA MSA and Louisville, KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA and Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Chattanooga | Louisville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.5 | 78.6 |
| Goods | 96.0 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 74.2 | 75.0 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 96.8 |
| Overall | 91.5 | 93.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Chattanooga, TN → Louisville, KY
Roughly even
Buying power −1.7%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$3,382/yr.
63 Fair offer
Louisville, KY → Chattanooga, TN
Roughly even
Buying power +1.8%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,382/yr.
74 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 Louisville, KY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Chattanooga, TN | Louisville, KY | Real change, Chattanooga → Louisville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −1.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −1.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −1.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −1.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −1.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Chattanooga, TN | Louisville, KY | Louisville pay in Chattanooga dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,830 | $61,610 | $60,544 (+1.2%) |
| Software Developers | $106,750 | $110,270 | $108,363 (+1.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,680 | $76,320 | $75,000 (−2.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,770 | $84,850 | $83,382 (+4.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.