City comparison
Chattanooga, TN vs Spartanburg, SC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Chattanooga, TN (91.5) and Spartanburg, SC (91.1, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Chattanooga, TN goes as far as $99,500 in Spartanburg, SC.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,263 a month in Chattanooga, TN versus $1,083 in Spartanburg, SC. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Chattanooga, TN and 17% in Spartanburg, SC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,843 a year higher in Spartanburg, SC 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 Spartanburg, SC changes real buying power by +0.5%, purely from prices.
- Chattanooga, TN: price level 91.5 (much cheaper)
- Spartanburg, SC: price level 91.1 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Chattanooga, TN | Spartanburg, SC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.5 | 91.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,548 in Spartanburg | $100,454 in Chattanooga |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,263/mo | $1,083/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,337 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $4,843 (SC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,700 | $47,650 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA MSA and Spartanburg, SC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA and Spartanburg, SC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Chattanooga | Spartanburg |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.5 | 68.0 |
| Goods | 96.0 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 74.2 | 88.3 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 98.3 |
| Overall | 91.5 | 91.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Chattanooga, TN → Spartanburg, SC
Roughly even
Buying power +0.5%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$4,843/yr.
70 Strong offer
Spartanburg, SC → Chattanooga, TN
Roughly even
Buying power −0.5%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$4,843/yr.
67 Fair 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 Spartanburg, SC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Chattanooga, TN | Spartanburg, SC | Real change, Chattanooga → Spartanburg |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +0.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +0.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +0.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +0.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +0.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Chattanooga, TN | Spartanburg, SC | Spartanburg pay in Chattanooga dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,830 | $60,990 | $61,267 (+2.4%) |
| Software Developers | $106,750 | $114,460 | $114,979 (+7.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,680 | $77,080 | $77,430 (+1.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,770 | $82,360 | $82,734 (+3.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.