City comparison
Chattanooga, TN vs Montgomery, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Chattanooga, TN are 2.0% higher than in Montgomery, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Montgomery, AL would need about $102,000 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 $870 in Montgomery, AL. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Chattanooga, TN and 14% in Montgomery, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,735 a year higher in Montgomery, AL 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 Montgomery, AL changes real buying power by +2.0%, purely from prices.
- Chattanooga, TN: price level 91.5 (much cheaper)
- Montgomery, AL: price level 89.7 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Chattanooga, TN | Montgomery, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.5 | 89.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,052 in Montgomery | $101,987 in Chattanooga |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,263/mo | $870/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,700 | $44,950 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA MSA and Montgomery, AL MSA. Metro areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA and Montgomery, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Chattanooga | Montgomery |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.5 | 64.3 |
| Goods | 96.0 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 74.2 | 84.9 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 91.5 | 89.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Chattanooga, TN → Montgomery, AL
Roughly even
Buying power +2.0%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$4,735/yr.
75 Strong offer
Montgomery, AL → Chattanooga, TN
Roughly even
Buying power −1.9%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$4,735/yr.
63 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 Montgomery, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Chattanooga, TN | Montgomery, AL | Real change, Chattanooga → Montgomery |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +2.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +2.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +2.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +2.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +2.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Chattanooga, TN | Montgomery, AL | Montgomery pay in Chattanooga dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,830 | $59,610 | $60,794 (+1.6%) |
| Software Developers | $106,750 | $110,620 | $112,818 (+5.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,680 | $75,040 | $76,531 (−0.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,770 | $79,570 | $81,151 (+1.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.