City comparison
Chattanooga, TN vs North Port, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in North Port, FL are 12.0% higher than in Chattanooga, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Chattanooga, TN would need about $112,000 in North Port, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,686 a month in North Port, FL versus $1,263 in Chattanooga, TN. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in North Port, FL and 19% in Chattanooga, TN.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $0 a year in TN and $0 in FL.
- 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 North Port, FL changes real buying power by −10.7%, purely from prices.
- Chattanooga, TN: price level 91.5 (much cheaper)
- North Port, FL: price level 102.4 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Chattanooga, TN | North Port, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.5 | 102.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $111,975 in North Port | $89,305 in Chattanooga |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,263/mo | $1,686/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,700 | $47,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA MSA and North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL MSA. Metro areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA and North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Chattanooga | North Port |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.5 | 128.0 |
| Goods | 96.0 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 74.2 | 88.2 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 91.5 | 102.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Chattanooga, TN → North Port, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.7%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
37 Weak offer
North Port, FL → Chattanooga, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.0%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
100 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 North Port, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Chattanooga, TN | North Port, FL | Real change, Chattanooga → North Port |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −10.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −10.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −10.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −10.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −10.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Chattanooga, TN | North Port, FL | North Port pay in Chattanooga dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,830 | $62,370 | $55,700 (−6.9%) |
| Software Developers | $106,750 | $131,890 | $117,785 (+10.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,680 | $81,090 | $72,418 (−5.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,770 | $86,130 | $76,919 (−3.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.