City comparison
Columbus, GA vs Kingsport, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Columbus, GA are 3.3% higher than in Kingsport, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Kingsport, TN would need about $103,300 in Columbus, GA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $939 a month in Columbus, GA versus $818 in Kingsport, TN. On $100,000, that's 15% of take-home pay in Columbus, GA and 12% in Kingsport, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,567 a year higher in Columbus, GA than in Kingsport, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −5.4% moving from Columbus, GA to Kingsport, TN ($112,556 → $106,437), while prices change by −3.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.3% in real buying power.
- Columbus, GA: price level 89.3 (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
| Columbus, GA | Kingsport, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.3 | 86.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,809 in Kingsport | $103,296 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $939/mo | $818/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,613 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,567 (GA) | $0 (TN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 12% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $43,540 | $45,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Columbus, GA-AL HUD Metro FMR Area and Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA MSA. Metro areas: Columbus, GA-AL and Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Kingsport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 61.2 | 56.5 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 89.7 | 75.9 |
| Other services | 98.6 | 95.8 |
| Overall | 89.3 | 86.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, GA → Kingsport, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.3%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax −$4,567/yr.
79 Strong offer
Kingsport, TN → Columbus, GA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.2%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$4,567/yr.
59 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, GA is in the Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL pay area; Kingsport, TN is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, GA to Kingsport, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, GA | Kingsport, TN | Real change, Columbus → Kingsport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,271 | $61,722 | −2.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,972 | $74,678 | −2.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $94,654 | $89,508 | −2.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $112,556 | $106,437 | −2.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,007 | $125,776 | −2.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, GA | Kingsport, TN | Kingsport pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,360 | $58,130 | $60,046 (−2.1%) |
| Software Developers | $116,150 | $115,310 | $119,110 (+2.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $73,640 | $75,940 | $78,443 (+6.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,500 | $76,730 | $79,259 (−3.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.