City comparison
Huntsville, AL vs Kingsport, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Huntsville, AL are 7.7% higher than in Kingsport, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Kingsport, TN would need about $107,700 in Huntsville, AL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,136 a month in Huntsville, AL versus $818 in Kingsport, TN. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Huntsville, AL and 12% in Kingsport, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,735 a year higher in Huntsville, AL than in Kingsport, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.0% moving from Huntsville, AL to Kingsport, TN ($110,847 → $106,437), while prices change by −7.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.4% in real buying power.
- Huntsville, AL: price level 93.1 (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
| Huntsville, AL | Kingsport, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.1 | 86.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,882 in Kingsport | $107,664 in Huntsville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,136/mo | $818/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,445 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,735 (AL) | $0 (TN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 12% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,740 | $45,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Huntsville, AL MSA and Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA MSA. Metro areas: Huntsville, AL and Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Huntsville | Kingsport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 77.9 | 56.5 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 83.9 | 75.9 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 95.8 |
| Overall | 93.1 | 86.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Huntsville, AL → Kingsport, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.7%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax −$4,735/yr.
93 Strong offer
Kingsport, TN → Huntsville, AL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.1%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$4,735/yr.
47 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Huntsville, AL is in the Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN pay area; Kingsport, TN is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Huntsville, AL to Kingsport, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Huntsville, AL | Kingsport, TN | Real change, Huntsville → Kingsport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,279 | $61,722 | +3.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,772 | $74,678 | +3.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,216 | $89,508 | +3.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,847 | $106,437 | +3.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,987 | $125,776 | +3.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Huntsville, AL | Kingsport, TN | Kingsport pay in Huntsville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,250 | $58,130 | $62,585 (+0.5%) |
| Software Developers | $128,080 | $115,310 | $124,147 (−3.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,220 | $75,940 | $81,760 (+3.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,090 | $76,730 | $82,610 (+7.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.