City comparison
Cleveland, OH vs Kingsport, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Cleveland, OH are 8.6% higher than in Kingsport, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Kingsport, TN would need about $108,600 in Cleveland, OH to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,058 a month in Cleveland, OH versus $818 in Kingsport, TN. On $100,000, that's 16% of take-home pay in Cleveland, OH and 12% in Kingsport, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,968 a year higher in Cleveland, OH than in Kingsport, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Cleveland, OH to Kingsport, TN ($111,138 → $106,437), while prices change by −8.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.1% in real buying power.
- Cleveland, OH: price level 93.9 (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
| Cleveland, OH | Kingsport, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.9 | 86.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,040 in Kingsport | $108,648 in Cleveland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,058/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 | $50,140 | $45,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Cleveland, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA MSA. Metro areas: Cleveland, OH and Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cleveland | Kingsport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.4 | 56.5 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 96.0 | 75.9 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 95.8 |
| Overall | 93.9 | 86.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cleveland, OH → Kingsport, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.6%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax −$1,968/yr.
96 Strong offer
Kingsport, TN → Cleveland, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.0%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$1,968/yr.
44 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cleveland, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; Kingsport, TN is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Cleveland, OH to Kingsport, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cleveland, OH | Kingsport, TN | Real change, Cleveland → Kingsport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $61,722 | +4.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $74,678 | +4.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $89,508 | +4.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $106,437 | +4.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $125,776 | +4.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cleveland, OH | Kingsport, TN | Kingsport pay in Cleveland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,470 | $58,130 | $63,157 (−17.4%) |
| Software Developers | $111,310 | $115,310 | $125,282 (+12.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,000 | $75,940 | $82,507 (+3.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,940 | $76,730 | $83,366 (−0.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.