City comparison
Chattanooga, TN vs Memphis, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Chattanooga, TN (91.5) and Memphis, TN (92.2, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Chattanooga, TN goes as far as $100,800 in Memphis, TN.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,263 a month in Chattanooga, TN versus $1,154 in Memphis, TN. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Chattanooga, TN and 17% in Memphis, TN.
- Both are in TN, so estimated state income tax is the same: $0 a year on $100,000.
- 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 Memphis, TN changes real buying power by −0.8%, purely from prices.
- Chattanooga, TN: price level 91.5 (much cheaper)
- Memphis, TN: price level 92.2 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Chattanooga, TN | Memphis, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.5 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,782 in Memphis | $99,224 in Chattanooga |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,263/mo | $1,154/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $0 (TN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,700 | $46,890 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA MSA and Memphis, TN-MS-AR HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA and Memphis, TN-MS-AR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Chattanooga | Memphis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.5 | 79.8 |
| Goods | 96.0 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 74.2 | 74.1 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 95.4 |
| Overall | 91.5 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Chattanooga, TN → Memphis, TN
Roughly even
Buying power −0.8%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
66 Fair offer
Memphis, TN → Chattanooga, TN
Roughly even
Buying power +0.8%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
71 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 Memphis, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Chattanooga, TN | Memphis, TN | Real change, Chattanooga → Memphis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −0.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −0.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −0.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −0.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −0.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Chattanooga, TN | Memphis, TN | Memphis pay in Chattanooga dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,830 | $61,510 | $61,033 (+2.0%) |
| Software Developers | $106,750 | $125,580 | $124,606 (+16.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,680 | $76,960 | $76,363 (−0.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,770 | $81,500 | $80,868 (+1.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.