City comparison
Buffalo, NY vs Kingsport, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Buffalo, NY are 10.9% higher than in Kingsport, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Kingsport, TN would need about $110,900 in Buffalo, NY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,139 a month in Buffalo, NY versus $818 in Kingsport, TN. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Buffalo, NY and 12% in Kingsport, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,860 a year higher in Buffalo, NY than in Kingsport, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.4% moving from Buffalo, NY to Kingsport, TN ($111,301 → $106,437), while prices change by −9.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.0% in real buying power.
- Buffalo, NY: price level 95.8 (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
| Buffalo, NY | Kingsport, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.8 | 86.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,196 in Kingsport | $110,870 in Buffalo |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,139/mo | $818/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $0 (TN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 12% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,790 | $45,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY MSA and Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA MSA. Metro areas: Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY and Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Buffalo | Kingsport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 81.0 | 56.5 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 129.5 | 75.9 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 95.8 |
| Overall | 95.8 | 86.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Buffalo, NY → Kingsport, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.9%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax −$4,860/yr.
100 Strong offer
Kingsport, TN → Buffalo, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.8%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$4,860/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Buffalo, NY is in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY pay area; Kingsport, TN is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Buffalo, NY to Kingsport, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Buffalo, NY | Kingsport, TN | Real change, Buffalo → Kingsport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,543 | $61,722 | +6.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,091 | $74,678 | +6.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,598 | $89,508 | +6.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,301 | $106,437 | +6.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,525 | $125,776 | +6.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Buffalo, NY | Kingsport, TN | Kingsport pay in Buffalo dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,490 | $58,130 | $64,449 (−15.7%) |
| Software Developers | $127,850 | $115,310 | $127,844 (−0.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,120 | $75,940 | $84,195 (+2.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,060 | $76,730 | $85,071 (−14.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.