CostIndexUSA

Chattanooga, TN vs College Station, TX Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

≈ Equal CostTN
Chattanooga
91.5
overall index
$1,500/mo rent
TX
College Station
91
overall index
$1,700/mo rent

Chattanooga and College Station have nearly identical costs of living.

Category Breakdown

Index values: 100 = U.S. national average. Higher = more expensive.

🏠 Housing2.0%
Chattanooga
76.6
College Station
75.1
🛒 Groceries2.3%
Chattanooga
96
College Station
93.8
🚗 Transportation+1.0%
Chattanooga
100.1
College Station
101.1
🏥 Healthcare+1.0%
Chattanooga
90.5
College Station
91.4
Utilities+13.7%
Chattanooga
74.2
College Station
84.4

Salary Equivalency Calculator

Enter your current salary in Chattanooga to see what you'd need to earn in College Station to maintain the same purchasing power.

$
Equivalent salary in College Station, TX
$79,600
$400 less needed in College Station

Formula: salary × (91 ÷ 91.5) = salary × 0.9945. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Chattanooga, TN

Median Home Price
$314,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,500
Housing Index
76.6
Price-to-Rent Ratio
17.4×

College Station, TX

Median Home Price
$301,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,700
Housing Index
75.1
Price-to-Rent Ratio
14.8×

Chattanooga has 2.0% lower housing costs compared to College Station.

Income & Job Market

Chattanooga, TN

Median Household Income
$68,700
Per Capita Income
$39,200
Unemployment Rate
4.4%
Population
181,099
Top Industries
ManufacturingHealthcareTourismTechnologyLogistics

College Station, TX

Median Household Income
$54,700
Per Capita Income
$31,200
Unemployment Rate
4.8%
Population
120,511
Top Industries
EducationTechnologyHealthcareGovernmentResearch

Affordability at a Glance

Income-to-rent ratio: higher is better (more income relative to housing costs).

Chattanooga, TN
3.8×income-to-rent ratio

74% of income left after rent (median)

College Station, TX
2.7×income-to-rent ratio

63% of income left after rent (median)

Data Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities 2024; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Zillow Research.

Cost indices use 100 as the U.S. national average. Values above 100 indicate costs above the national average. Data is updated annually.

This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for relocation or financial decisions.