City comparison
Chattanooga, TN vs Olympia, WA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Olympia, WA are 13.3% higher than in Chattanooga, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Chattanooga, TN would need about $113,300 in Olympia, WA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,682 a month in Olympia, WA versus $1,263 in Chattanooga, TN. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Olympia, WA and 19% in Chattanooga, TN.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $0 a year in TN and $0 in WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.4% moving from Chattanooga, TN to Olympia, WA ($106,437 → $119,630), while prices change by +13.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.8% in real buying power.
- Chattanooga, TN: price level 91.5 (much cheaper)
- Olympia, WA: price level 103.7 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Chattanooga, TN | Olympia, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.5 | 103.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $113,345 in Olympia | $88,226 in Chattanooga |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,263/mo | $1,682/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $0 (WA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,700 | $61,960 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Seattle-Tacoma, WA |
Rent areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA MSA and Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA MSA. Metro areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA and Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Chattanooga | Olympia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.5 | 116.7 |
| Goods | 96.0 | 105.0 |
| Utilities | 74.2 | 91.7 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 99.5 |
| Overall | 91.5 | 103.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Chattanooga, TN → Olympia, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.8%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
37 Weak offer
Olympia, WA → Chattanooga, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +13.3%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Chattanooga, TN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Olympia, WA is in Seattle-Tacoma, WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Chattanooga, TN to Olympia, WA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Chattanooga, TN | Olympia, WA | Real change, Chattanooga → Olympia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,373 | −0.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $83,935 | −0.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $100,602 | −0.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $119,630 | −0.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $141,367 | −0.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Chattanooga, TN | Olympia, WA | Olympia pay in Chattanooga dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,830 | $104,650 | $92,329 (+54.3%) |
| Software Developers | $106,750 | $124,060 | $109,453 (+2.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,680 | $94,470 | $83,347 (+8.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,770 | $125,020 | $110,300 (+38.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.