CostIndexUSA

Chattanooga, TN vs Lincoln, NE Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

≈ Equal CostTN
Chattanooga
91.5
overall index
$1,500/mo rent
NE
Lincoln
91.6
overall index
$1,275/mo rent

Chattanooga and Lincoln have nearly identical costs of living.

Category Breakdown

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

🏠 Housing+9.9%
Chattanooga
76.6
Lincoln
84.2
🛒 Groceries2.0%
Chattanooga
96
Lincoln
94.1
🚗 Transportation2.5%
Chattanooga
100.1
Lincoln
97.6
🏥 Healthcare2.4%
Chattanooga
90.5
Lincoln
88.3
Utilities+3.5%
Chattanooga
74.2
Lincoln
76.8

Salary Equivalency Calculator

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

$
Equivalent salary in Lincoln, NE
$80,100
$100 more needed in Lincoln

Formula: salary × (91.6 ÷ 91.5) = salary × 1.0011. 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×

Lincoln, NE

Median Home Price
$289,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,275
Housing Index
84.2
Price-to-Rent Ratio
18.9×

Lincoln has 9.9% higher housing costs compared to Chattanooga.

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

Lincoln, NE

Median Household Income
$71,200
Per Capita Income
$40,600
Unemployment Rate
2.7%
Population
289,102
Top Industries
EducationHealthcareGovernmentFinanceManufacturing

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)

Lincoln, NE
4.7×income-to-rent ratio

79% 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.