with $100k coming in, swapping out of Baltimore
changea dispatch from
chattanooga
TN
35.05°N
85.31°W
Chattanooga became the first city in the country to roll out gigabit fiber internet to every home (2010, via the municipal utility), which jump-started a tech and remote-work scene. Lookout Mountain rises right above town, with Ruby Falls' underground waterfall and Rock City's epic views. The Tennessee Riverwalk is gorgeous. The Choo Choo (old terminal turned hotel) is a fun stay.
the verdict
cheaper each month than Baltimore
Chattanooga is the kind of cheap that changes the math. Same salary, a different life on the other side.
a quick ledger.
$1,524/mo
18% cheaper than Baltimore(vs $1,868/mo)
0%
$683/mo less in state tax than Baltimore
vs 8.2% in Baltimore
$6,809/mo
$1,027 more than Baltimore
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$322k
22% cheaper than Baltimore
vs $412k in Baltimore
580k
vs 2.8M in Baltimore
field notes, weather & such.
167
pleasant days a year, in chattanooga.
Baltimore edges ahead with 168 pleasant days.
Baltimore hosts 2.9× more events.
69/100
5% higher than Baltimore
vs 66/100 in Baltimore
Closest outdoor draw: Cumberland Trail, 12.2 mi.
82/100
16% lower than Baltimore
vs 98/100 in Baltimore
8
89% fewer than Baltimore
vs 72 nonstops in Baltimore
in the same ballpark as chattanooga:
