City comparison
Kansas City, MO vs Kingsport, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Kansas City, MO are 7.1% higher than in Kingsport, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Kingsport, TN would need about $107,100 in Kansas City, MO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,197 a month in Kansas City, MO versus $818 in Kingsport, TN. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Kansas City, MO and 12% in Kingsport, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,763 a year higher in Kansas City, MO than in Kingsport, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.6% moving from Kansas City, MO to Kingsport, TN ($108,173 → $106,437), while prices change by −6.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.3% in real buying power.
- Kansas City, MO: price level 92.5 (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
| Kansas City, MO | Kingsport, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.5 | 86.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,413 in Kingsport | $107,052 in Kansas City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,197/mo | $818/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,417 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,763 (MO) | $0 (TN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 12% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,820 | $45,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Kansas City, MO-KS HUD Metro FMR Area and Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA MSA. Metro areas: Kansas City, MO-KS and Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Kansas City | Kingsport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.6 | 56.5 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 89.0 | 75.9 |
| Other services | 93.4 | 95.8 |
| Overall | 92.5 | 86.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Kansas City, MO → Kingsport, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.1%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax −$3,763/yr.
91 Strong offer
Kingsport, TN → Kansas City, MO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.6%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$3,763/yr.
48 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Kansas City, MO is in the Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS pay area; Kingsport, TN is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Kansas City, MO to Kingsport, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Kansas City, MO | Kingsport, TN | Real change, Kansas City → Kingsport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,729 | $61,722 | +5.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,897 | $74,678 | +5.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,968 | $89,508 | +5.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,173 | $106,437 | +5.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,829 | $125,776 | +5.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Kansas City, MO | Kingsport, TN | Kingsport pay in Kansas City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,060 | $58,130 | $62,229 (+1.9%) |
| Software Developers | $124,990 | $115,310 | $123,441 (−1.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,040 | $75,940 | $81,295 (+1.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,040 | $76,730 | $82,141 (−1.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.