Head to head
Baton Rouge, LA vs Chattanooga, TN
Baton Rouge is cheaper — estimated essentials for a single person run about $64/mo less, and living comfortably there takes roughly $1,000 less in annual salary (taxes included).
It flips for a family. For two adults with a pre-schooler and a school-age child, Chattanooga is the cheaper of the two — rent scales to household size using each city's own bedroom spread, and childcare varies even more sharply between cities than rent does.
| Metric | Baton Rouge55 | Chattanooga60 |
|---|---|---|
| Est. monthly cost (single) | $3,819 | $3,883 |
| Est. monthly cost (family of 4, incl. childcare) | $8,508 | $8,258 |
| Salary for comfort | $68,500/yr | $67,500/yr |
| Typical rent | $1,204 | $1,390 |
| Median home value | $224,500 | $259,200 |
| Median household income | $49,944 | $61,028 |
| Unemployment | 5.3% | 4.0% |
| Housing score | 46 | 55 |
| Jobs score | 47 | 57 |
| Safety score | 9 | 20 |
| Climate score | 95 | 100 |
| Amenities score | 35 | 26 |
| Population | 223.7K | 182.8K |
| Summer high / winter low | 92° / 41° | 90° / 31° |
Fit scores use the reference profile (single, $6,700/mo gross, default weights). Green marks the better value per row.
Baton Rouge, LA
Chattanooga, TN