City comparison
Chattanooga, TN vs South Bend, IN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in South Bend, IN are 1.5% higher than in Chattanooga, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Chattanooga, TN would need about $101,500 in South Bend, IN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,263 a month in Chattanooga, TN versus $1,105 in South Bend, IN. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Chattanooga, TN and 17% in South Bend, IN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,921 a year higher in South Bend, IN 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 South Bend, IN changes real buying power by −1.5%, purely from prices.
- Chattanooga, TN: price level 91.5 (much cheaper)
- South Bend, IN: price level 92.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Chattanooga, TN | South Bend, IN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.5 | 92.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,524 in South Bend | $98,499 in Chattanooga |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,263/mo | $1,105/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $2,921 (IN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,700 | $46,540 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA MSA and South Bend-Mishawaka, IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA and South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Chattanooga | South Bend |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.5 | 74.6 |
| Goods | 96.0 | 94.2 |
| Utilities | 74.2 | 87.7 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 99.2 |
| Overall | 91.5 | 92.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Chattanooga, TN → South Bend, IN
Roughly even
Buying power −1.5%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$2,921/yr.
64 Fair offer
South Bend, IN → Chattanooga, TN
Roughly even
Buying power +1.5%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$2,921/yr.
74 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 South Bend, IN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Chattanooga, TN | South Bend, IN | Real change, Chattanooga → South Bend |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −1.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −1.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −1.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −1.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −1.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Chattanooga, TN | South Bend, IN | South Bend pay in Chattanooga dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,830 | $58,180 | $57,307 (−4.2%) |
| Software Developers | $106,750 | $95,500 | $94,066 (−11.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,680 | $77,940 | $76,770 (+0.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,770 | $93,540 | $92,136 (+15.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.