City comparison
Baton Rouge, LA vs Kingsport, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Baton Rouge, LA are 5.0% higher than in Kingsport, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Kingsport, TN would need about $105,000 in Baton Rouge, LA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,064 a month in Baton Rouge, LA versus $818 in Kingsport, TN. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Baton Rouge, LA and 12% in Kingsport, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,614 a year higher in Baton Rouge, LA 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 Baton Rouge, LA to Kingsport, TN changes real buying power by +5.0%, purely from prices.
- Baton Rouge, LA: price level 90.8 (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
| Baton Rouge, LA | Kingsport, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.8 | 86.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,227 in Kingsport | $105,012 in Baton Rouge |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,064/mo | $818/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,566 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,614 (LA) | $0 (TN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 12% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,710 | $45,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Baton Rouge, LA HUD Metro FMR Area and Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA MSA. Metro areas: Baton Rouge, LA and Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Baton Rouge | Kingsport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 74.2 | 56.5 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 71.2 | 75.9 |
| Other services | 95.7 | 95.8 |
| Overall | 90.8 | 86.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Baton Rouge, LA → Kingsport, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.0%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax −$2,614/yr.
84 Strong offer
Kingsport, TN → Baton Rouge, LA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.8%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$2,614/yr.
54 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
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 Baton Rouge, LA to Kingsport, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Baton Rouge, LA | Kingsport, TN | Real change, Baton Rouge → Kingsport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +5.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +5.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +5.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +5.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +5.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Baton Rouge, LA | Kingsport, TN | Kingsport pay in Baton Rouge dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,310 | $58,130 | $61,044 (+2.9%) |
| Software Developers | $101,900 | $115,310 | $121,090 (+18.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $73,070 | $75,940 | $79,746 (+9.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,130 | $76,730 | $80,576 (−0.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.