City comparison
Chattanooga, TN vs Milwaukee, WI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Milwaukee, WI are 6.0% higher than in Chattanooga, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Chattanooga, TN would need about $106,000 in Milwaukee, WI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,263 a month in Chattanooga, TN versus $1,119 in Milwaukee, WI. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Chattanooga, TN and 18% in Milwaukee, WI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,919 a year higher in Milwaukee, WI than in Chattanooga, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.6% moving from Chattanooga, TN to Milwaukee, WI ($106,437 → $111,310), while prices change by +6.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.3% in real buying power.
- Chattanooga, TN: price level 91.5 (much cheaper)
- Milwaukee, WI: price level 96.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Chattanooga, TN | Milwaukee, WI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.5 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,984 in Milwaukee | $94,354 in Chattanooga |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,263/mo | $1,119/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,261 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $3,919 (WI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,700 | $51,160 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI |
Rent areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA MSA and Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI MSA. Metro areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA and Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Chattanooga | Milwaukee |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.5 | 97.1 |
| Goods | 96.0 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 74.2 | 91.6 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 91.5 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Chattanooga, TN → Milwaukee, WI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.6%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$3,919/yr.
51 Fair offer
Milwaukee, WI → Chattanooga, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.0%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,919/yr.
87 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Chattanooga, TN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Milwaukee, WI is in Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Chattanooga, TN to Milwaukee, WI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Chattanooga, TN | Milwaukee, WI | Real change, Chattanooga → Milwaukee |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,548 | −1.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $78,098 | −1.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,606 | −1.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,310 | −1.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,535 | −1.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Chattanooga, TN | Milwaukee, WI | Milwaukee pay in Chattanooga dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,830 | $61,480 | $58,009 (−3.0%) |
| Software Developers | $106,750 | $123,730 | $116,744 (+9.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,680 | $80,290 | $75,757 (−1.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,770 | $97,360 | $91,863 (+15.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.