City comparison
Chattanooga, TN vs McAllen, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Chattanooga, TN are 6.5% higher than in McAllen, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in McAllen, TX would need about $106,500 in Chattanooga, TN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,263 a month in Chattanooga, TN versus $847 in McAllen, TX. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Chattanooga, TN and 13% in McAllen, TX.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $0 a year in TN and $0 in TX.
- 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 McAllen, TX changes real buying power by +6.5%, purely from prices.
- Chattanooga, TN: price level 91.5 (much cheaper)
- McAllen, TX: price level 85.9 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Chattanooga, TN | McAllen, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.5 | 85.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,911 in McAllen | $106,483 in Chattanooga |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,263/mo | $847/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% | 13% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,700 | $35,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA MSA and McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX MSA. Metro areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA and McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Chattanooga | McAllen |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.5 | 55.9 |
| Goods | 96.0 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 74.2 | 81.2 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 91.5 | 85.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Chattanooga, TN → McAllen, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.5%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
89 Strong offer
McAllen, TX → Chattanooga, TN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.1%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
50 Fair 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 McAllen, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Chattanooga, TN | McAllen, TX | Real change, Chattanooga → McAllen |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +6.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +6.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +6.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +6.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +6.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Chattanooga, TN | McAllen, TX | McAllen pay in Chattanooga dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,830 | $63,110 | $67,202 (+12.3%) |
| Software Developers | $106,750 | $116,120 | $123,649 (+15.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,680 | $64,470 | $68,650 (−10.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,770 | $80,540 | $85,762 (+7.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.