City comparison
Bremerton, WA vs Kingsport, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Bremerton, WA are 22.2% higher than in Kingsport, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Kingsport, TN would need about $122,200 in Bremerton, WA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,548 a month in Bremerton, WA versus $818 in Kingsport, TN. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Bremerton, WA and 12% in Kingsport, TN.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $0 a year in WA and $0 in TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −11.0% moving from Bremerton, WA to Kingsport, TN ($119,630 → $106,437), while prices change by −18.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.7% in real buying power.
- Bremerton, WA: price level 105.6 (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
| Bremerton, WA | Kingsport, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.6 | 86.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $81,857 in Kingsport | $122,164 in Bremerton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,548/mo | $818/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (WA) | $0 (TN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 12% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $63,200 | $45,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Seattle-Tacoma, WA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA MSA and Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA MSA. Metro areas: Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA and Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Bremerton | Kingsport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 129.6 | 56.5 |
| Goods | 105.0 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 92.0 | 75.9 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 95.8 |
| Overall | 105.6 | 86.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Bremerton, WA → Kingsport, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +22.2%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
100 Strong offer
Kingsport, TN → Bremerton, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −18.1%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Bremerton, WA is in the Seattle-Tacoma, WA pay area; Kingsport, TN is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Bremerton, WA to Kingsport, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Bremerton, WA | Kingsport, TN | Real change, Bremerton → Kingsport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,373 | $61,722 | +8.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,935 | $74,678 | +8.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,602 | $89,508 | +8.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $119,630 | $106,437 | +8.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,367 | $125,776 | +8.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Bremerton, WA | Kingsport, TN | Kingsport pay in Bremerton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $102,650 | $58,130 | $71,014 (−30.8%) |
| Software Developers | $146,200 | $115,310 | $140,867 (−3.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $88,250 | $75,940 | $92,771 (+5.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $107,220 | $76,730 | $93,736 (−12.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.