City comparison
Dayton, OH vs Kingsport, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Dayton, OH are 7.2% higher than in Kingsport, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Kingsport, TN would need about $107,200 in Dayton, OH to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,009 a month in Dayton, OH versus $818 in Kingsport, TN. On $100,000, that's 16% of take-home pay in Dayton, OH and 12% in Kingsport, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,968 a year higher in Dayton, OH than in Kingsport, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.6% moving from Dayton, OH to Kingsport, TN ($110,401 → $106,437), while prices change by −6.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.4% in real buying power.
- Dayton, OH: price level 92.7 (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
| Dayton, OH | Kingsport, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.7 | 86.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,261 in Kingsport | $107,226 in Dayton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,009/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 | $49,980 | $45,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH MSA and Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA MSA. Metro areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH and Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Dayton | Kingsport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.7 | 56.5 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 95.4 | 75.9 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 95.8 |
| Overall | 92.7 | 86.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Dayton, OH → Kingsport, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.2%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax −$1,968/yr.
91 Strong offer
Kingsport, TN → Dayton, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.7%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$1,968/yr.
48 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Dayton, OH is in the Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH pay area; Kingsport, TN is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Dayton, OH to Kingsport, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Dayton, OH | Kingsport, TN | Real change, Dayton → Kingsport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,021 | $61,722 | +3.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,460 | $74,678 | +3.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,841 | $89,508 | +3.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,401 | $106,437 | +3.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,461 | $125,776 | +3.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Dayton, OH | Kingsport, TN | Kingsport pay in Dayton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,360 | $58,130 | $62,331 (−22.4%) |
| Software Developers | $106,910 | $115,310 | $123,643 (+15.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,030 | $75,940 | $81,428 (+3.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,510 | $76,730 | $82,275 (−0.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.