City comparison
Chattanooga, TN vs Roanoke, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Roanoke, VA are 2.4% higher than in Chattanooga, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Chattanooga, TN would need about $102,400 in Roanoke, VA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,263 a month in Chattanooga, TN versus $1,053 in Roanoke, VA. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Chattanooga, TN and 17% in Roanoke, VA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,936 a year higher in Roanoke, VA 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 Roanoke, VA changes real buying power by −2.3%, purely from prices.
- Chattanooga, TN: price level 91.5 (much cheaper)
- Roanoke, VA: price level 93.6 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Chattanooga, TN | Roanoke, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.5 | 93.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,355 in Roanoke | $97,699 in Chattanooga |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,263/mo | $1,053/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,700 | $47,140 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA MSA and Roanoke, VA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA and Roanoke, VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Chattanooga | Roanoke |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.5 | 78.5 |
| Goods | 96.0 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 74.2 | 88.9 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 91.5 | 93.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Chattanooga, TN → Roanoke, VA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.3%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$4,936/yr.
62 Fair offer
Roanoke, VA → Chattanooga, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.4%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$4,936/yr.
76 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 Roanoke, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Chattanooga, TN | Roanoke, VA | Real change, Chattanooga → Roanoke |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −2.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −2.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −2.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −2.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −2.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Chattanooga, TN | Roanoke, VA | Roanoke pay in Chattanooga dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,830 | $62,010 | $60,583 (+1.3%) |
| Software Developers | $106,750 | $121,110 | $118,323 (+10.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,680 | $77,240 | $75,463 (−1.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,770 | $80,090 | $78,247 (−1.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.