City comparison
Chattanooga, TN vs Wilmington, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Wilmington, NC are 5.4% higher than in Chattanooga, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Chattanooga, TN would need about $105,400 in Wilmington, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,513 a month in Wilmington, NC versus $1,263 in Chattanooga, TN. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Wilmington, NC and 19% in Chattanooga, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,481 a year higher in Wilmington, NC 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 Wilmington, NC changes real buying power by −5.1%, purely from prices.
- Chattanooga, TN: price level 91.5 (much cheaper)
- Wilmington, NC: price level 96.4 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Chattanooga, TN | Wilmington, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.5 | 96.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,421 in Wilmington | $94,858 in Chattanooga |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,263/mo | $1,513/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,700 | $45,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA MSA and Wilmington, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA and Wilmington, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Chattanooga | Wilmington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.5 | 93.2 |
| Goods | 96.0 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 74.2 | 87.9 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 91.5 | 96.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Chattanooga, TN → Wilmington, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.1%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$3,481/yr.
53 Fair offer
Wilmington, NC → Chattanooga, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.4%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,481/yr.
86 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 Wilmington, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Chattanooga, TN | Wilmington, NC | Real change, Chattanooga → Wilmington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −5.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −5.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −5.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −5.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −5.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Chattanooga, TN | Wilmington, NC | Wilmington pay in Chattanooga dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,830 | $48,240 | $45,760 (−23.5%) |
| Software Developers | $106,750 | $123,730 | $117,368 (+9.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,680 | $77,920 | $73,913 (−3.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,770 | $80,970 | $76,807 (−3.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.