City comparison
Durham, NC vs Kingsport, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Durham, NC are 12.9% higher than in Kingsport, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Kingsport, TN would need about $112,900 in Durham, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,507 a month in Durham, NC versus $818 in Kingsport, TN. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Durham, NC and 12% in Kingsport, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,481 a year higher in Durham, NC than in Kingsport, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Durham, NC to Kingsport, TN ($111,147 → $106,437), while prices change by −11.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.1% in real buying power.
- Durham, NC: price level 97.6 (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
| Durham, NC | Kingsport, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.6 | 86.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $88,598 in Kingsport | $112,869 in Durham |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,507/mo | $818/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $0 (TN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 12% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,720 | $45,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA MSA. Metro areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC and Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Durham | Kingsport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.9 | 56.5 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 89.3 | 75.9 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 95.8 |
| Overall | 97.6 | 86.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Durham, NC → Kingsport, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.9%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax −$3,481/yr.
100 Strong offer
Kingsport, TN → Durham, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.4%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$3,481/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Durham, NC is in the Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC pay area; Kingsport, TN is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Durham, NC to Kingsport, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Durham, NC | Kingsport, TN | Real change, Durham → Kingsport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,453 | $61,722 | +8.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,983 | $74,678 | +8.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,468 | $89,508 | +8.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,147 | $106,437 | +8.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,342 | $125,776 | +8.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Durham, NC | Kingsport, TN | Kingsport pay in Durham dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $51,400 | $58,130 | $65,611 (+27.6%) |
| Software Developers | $135,620 | $115,310 | $130,149 (−4.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,090 | $75,940 | $85,713 (+0.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | not published | $76,730 | — |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.