City comparison
Chattanooga, TN vs Kingsport, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Chattanooga, TN are 5.8% higher than in Kingsport, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Kingsport, TN would need about $105,800 in Chattanooga, TN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,263 a month in Chattanooga, TN versus $818 in Kingsport, TN. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Chattanooga, TN and 12% in Kingsport, TN.
- Both are in TN, so estimated state income tax is the same: $0 a year on $100,000.
- 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 Chattanooga, TN to Kingsport, TN changes real buying power by +5.8%, purely from prices.
- Chattanooga, TN: price level 91.5 (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
| Chattanooga, TN | Kingsport, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.5 | 86.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,515 in Kingsport | $105,804 in Chattanooga |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,263/mo | $818/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $0 (TN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 12% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,700 | $45,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA MSA and Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA MSA. Metro areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA and Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Chattanooga | Kingsport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.5 | 56.5 |
| Goods | 96.0 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 74.2 | 75.9 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 95.8 |
| Overall | 91.5 | 86.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Chattanooga, TN → Kingsport, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.8%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
87 Strong offer
Kingsport, TN → Chattanooga, TN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.5%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
52 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 Chattanooga, TN to Kingsport, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Chattanooga, TN | Kingsport, TN | Real change, Chattanooga → Kingsport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +5.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +5.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +5.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +5.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +5.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Chattanooga, TN | Kingsport, TN | Kingsport pay in Chattanooga dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,830 | $58,130 | $61,504 (+2.8%) |
| Software Developers | $106,750 | $115,310 | $122,002 (+14.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,680 | $75,940 | $80,347 (+4.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,770 | $76,730 | $81,183 (+1.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.