City comparison
Chattanooga, TN vs Portland, ME
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, ME are 11.4% higher than in Chattanooga, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Chattanooga, TN would need about $111,400 in Portland, ME to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,658 a month in Portland, ME versus $1,263 in Chattanooga, TN. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Portland, ME and 19% in Chattanooga, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,654 a year higher in Portland, ME than in Chattanooga, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +13.3% moving from Chattanooga, TN to Portland, ME ($106,437 → $120,548), while prices change by +11.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.7% in real buying power.
- Chattanooga, TN: price level 91.5 (much cheaper)
- Portland, ME: price level 101.9 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Chattanooga, TN | Portland, ME | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.5 | 101.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $111,364 in Portland | $89,796 in Chattanooga |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,263/mo | $1,658/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $73,526 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $5,654 (ME) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 27% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,700 | $56,960 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA MSA and Portland, ME HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA and Portland-South Portland, ME.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Chattanooga | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.5 | 105.2 |
| Goods | 96.0 | 97.2 |
| Utilities | 74.2 | 134.6 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 103.2 |
| Overall | 91.5 | 101.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Chattanooga, TN → Portland, ME
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.2%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$5,654/yr.
34 Weak offer
Portland, ME → Chattanooga, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.4%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$5,654/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Chattanooga, TN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Portland, ME is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Chattanooga, TN to Portland, ME at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Chattanooga, TN | Portland, ME | Real change, Chattanooga → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,905 | +1.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,579 | +1.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $101,375 | +1.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,548 | +1.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $142,452 | +1.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Chattanooga, TN | Portland, ME | Portland pay in Chattanooga dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,830 | $76,770 | $68,936 (+15.2%) |
| Software Developers | $106,750 | $128,710 | $115,576 (+8.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,680 | $79,790 | $71,648 (−6.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,770 | $88,470 | $79,442 (−0.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.