City comparison
Flint, MI vs Kingsport, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Flint, MI are 7.6% higher than in Kingsport, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Kingsport, TN would need about $107,600 in Flint, MI to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $856 a month in Flint, MI and $818 in Kingsport, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,999 a year higher in Flint, MI than in Kingsport, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.3% moving from Flint, MI to Kingsport, TN ($117,402 → $106,437), while prices change by −7.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.4% in real buying power.
- Flint, MI: price level 93.0 (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
| Flint, MI | Kingsport, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.0 | 86.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,920 in Kingsport | $107,620 in Flint |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $856/mo | $818/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $0 (TN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 12% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,880 | $45,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Flint, MI MSA and Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA MSA. Metro areas: Flint, MI and Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Flint | Kingsport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 74.0 | 56.5 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 97.1 | 75.9 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 95.8 |
| Overall | 93.0 | 86.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Flint, MI → Kingsport, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.6%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax −$3,999/yr.
93 Strong offer
Kingsport, TN → Flint, MI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.1%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$3,999/yr.
47 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Flint, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Kingsport, TN is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Flint, MI to Kingsport, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Flint, MI | Kingsport, TN | Real change, Flint → Kingsport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $61,722 | −2.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $74,678 | −2.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $89,508 | −2.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $106,437 | −2.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $125,776 | −2.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Flint, MI | Kingsport, TN | Kingsport pay in Flint dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $65,620 | $58,130 | $62,559 (−4.7%) |
| Software Developers | $101,750 | $115,310 | $124,096 (+22.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $74,500 | $75,940 | $81,726 (+9.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,780 | $76,730 | $82,577 (−15.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.