City comparison
Anchorage, AK vs Kingsport, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Anchorage, AK are 21.9% higher than in Kingsport, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Kingsport, TN would need about $121,900 in Anchorage, AK to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,243 a month in Anchorage, AK versus $818 in Kingsport, TN. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Anchorage, AK and 12% in Kingsport, TN.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $0 a year in AK and $0 in TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −11.6% moving from Anchorage, AK to Kingsport, TN ($120,348 → $106,437), while prices change by −18.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.9% in real buying power.
- Anchorage, AK: price level 105.4 (pricier)
- Kingsport, TN: price level 86.4 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Anchorage, AK | Kingsport, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.4 | 86.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $82,002 in Kingsport | $121,948 in Anchorage |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,243/mo | $818/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (AK) | $0 (TN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 12% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,200 | $45,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | State of Alaska | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Anchorage, AK HUD Metro FMR Area and Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA MSA. Metro areas: Anchorage, AK and Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Anchorage | Kingsport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 109.9 | 56.5 |
| Goods | 107.3 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 111.8 | 75.9 |
| Other services | 103.3 | 95.8 |
| Overall | 105.4 | 86.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Anchorage, AK → Kingsport, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +21.9%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
100 Strong offer
Kingsport, TN → Anchorage, AK
Same pay buys less
Buying power −18.0%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Anchorage, AK is in the State of Alaska pay area; Kingsport, TN is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Anchorage, AK to Kingsport, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Anchorage, AK | Kingsport, TN | Real change, Anchorage → Kingsport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,789 | $61,722 | +7.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,439 | $74,678 | +7.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,206 | $89,508 | +7.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,348 | $106,437 | +7.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,216 | $125,776 | +7.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Anchorage, AK | Kingsport, TN | Kingsport pay in Anchorage dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,270 | $58,130 | $70,888 (−10.6%) |
| Software Developers | $104,030 | $115,310 | $140,618 (+35.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,150 | $75,940 | $92,607 (+12.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $115,290 | $76,730 | $93,570 (−18.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.