City comparison
Hartford, CT vs Kingsport, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Hartford, CT are 18.9% higher than in Kingsport, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Kingsport, TN would need about $118,900 in Hartford, CT to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,477 a month in Hartford, CT versus $818 in Kingsport, TN. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Hartford, CT and 12% in Kingsport, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,925 a year higher in Hartford, CT than in Kingsport, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −11.4% moving from Hartford, CT to Kingsport, TN ($120,094 → $106,437), while prices change by −15.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.3% in real buying power.
- Hartford, CT: price level 102.7 (pricier)
- 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
| Hartford, CT | Kingsport, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.7 | 86.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $84,137 in Kingsport | $118,854 in Hartford |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,477/mo | $818/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,255 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,925 (CT) | $0 (TN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 12% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,940 | $45,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT MSA and Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA MSA. Metro areas: Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT and Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hartford | Kingsport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 110.2 | 56.5 |
| Goods | 97.3 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 144.9 | 75.9 |
| Other services | 102.7 | 95.8 |
| Overall | 102.7 | 86.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hartford, CT → Kingsport, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +18.9%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax −$3,925/yr.
100 Strong offer
Kingsport, TN → Hartford, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −15.9%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$3,925/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hartford, CT is in the Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA pay area; Kingsport, TN is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Hartford, CT to Kingsport, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hartford, CT | Kingsport, TN | Real change, Hartford → Kingsport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,642 | $61,722 | +5.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,260 | $74,678 | +5.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,992 | $89,508 | +5.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,094 | $106,437 | +5.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,915 | $125,776 | +5.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hartford, CT | Kingsport, TN | Kingsport pay in Hartford dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,800 | $58,130 | $69,090 (−13.4%) |
| Software Developers | $132,520 | $115,310 | $137,051 (+3.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $95,940 | $75,940 | $90,258 (−5.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,470 | $76,730 | $91,197 (−10.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.