City comparison
Augusta, GA vs Kingsport, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Augusta, GA are 6.3% higher than in Kingsport, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Kingsport, TN would need about $106,300 in Augusta, GA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,114 a month in Augusta, GA versus $818 in Kingsport, TN. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Augusta, GA and 12% in Kingsport, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,567 a year higher in Augusta, GA than in Kingsport, TN.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Augusta, GA to Kingsport, TN changes real buying power by +6.3%, purely from prices.
- Augusta, GA: price level 91.9 (much cheaper)
- 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
| Augusta, GA | Kingsport, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.9 | 86.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,063 in Kingsport | $106,311 in Augusta |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,114/mo | $818/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,613 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,567 (GA) | $0 (TN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 12% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,990 | $45,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA MSA. Metro areas: Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC and Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Augusta | Kingsport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 70.6 | 56.5 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 89.5 | 75.9 |
| Other services | 98.5 | 95.8 |
| Overall | 91.9 | 86.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Augusta, GA → Kingsport, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.3%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax −$4,567/yr.
88 Strong offer
Kingsport, TN → Augusta, GA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.9%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$4,567/yr.
50 Fair offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Augusta, GA to Kingsport, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Augusta, GA | Kingsport, TN | Real change, Augusta → Kingsport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +6.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +6.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +6.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +6.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +6.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Augusta, GA | Kingsport, TN | Kingsport pay in Augusta dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $106,110 | $102,450 | $108,916 (+2.6%) |
| Software Developers | $119,780 | $115,310 | $122,588 (+2.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,710 | $75,940 | $80,733 (+5.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $87,760 | $76,730 | $81,573 (−7.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.