City comparison
Cincinnati, OH vs Kingsport, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Cincinnati, OH are 10.3% higher than in Kingsport, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Kingsport, TN would need about $110,300 in Cincinnati, OH to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,051 a month in Cincinnati, OH versus $818 in Kingsport, TN. On $100,000, that's 16% of take-home pay in Cincinnati, OH and 12% in Kingsport, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,968 a year higher in Cincinnati, OH than in Kingsport, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.0% moving from Cincinnati, OH to Kingsport, TN ($110,865 → $106,437), while prices change by −9.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.9% in real buying power.
- Cincinnati, OH: price level 95.4 (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
| Cincinnati, OH | Kingsport, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.4 | 86.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,644 in Kingsport | $110,322 in Cincinnati |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,051/mo | $818/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $0 (TN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 12% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,170 | $45,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA MSA. Metro areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN and Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cincinnati | Kingsport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.6 | 56.5 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 91.0 | 75.9 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 95.8 |
| Overall | 95.4 | 86.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cincinnati, OH → Kingsport, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.3%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax −$1,968/yr.
100 Strong offer
Kingsport, TN → Cincinnati, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.4%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$1,968/yr.
40 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cincinnati, OH is in the Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN pay area; Kingsport, TN is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Cincinnati, OH to Kingsport, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cincinnati, OH | Kingsport, TN | Real change, Cincinnati → Kingsport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,290 | $61,722 | +5.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,785 | $74,678 | +5.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,231 | $89,508 | +5.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,865 | $106,437 | +5.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,009 | $125,776 | +5.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cincinnati, OH | Kingsport, TN | Kingsport pay in Cincinnati dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,740 | $58,130 | $64,130 (−0.9%) |
| Software Developers | $121,420 | $115,310 | $127,212 (+4.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,640 | $75,940 | $83,778 (+3.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,650 | $76,730 | $84,650 (+1.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.