City comparison
Kennewick, WA vs Kingsport, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Kennewick, WA are 15.8% higher than in Kingsport, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Kingsport, TN would need about $115,800 in Kennewick, WA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,268 a month in Kennewick, WA versus $818 in Kingsport, TN. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Kennewick, WA and 12% in Kingsport, TN.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $0 a year in WA and $0 in TN.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Kennewick, WA to Kingsport, TN changes real buying power by +15.8%, purely from prices.
- Kennewick, WA: price level 100.1 (about average)
- 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
| Kennewick, WA | Kingsport, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.1 | 86.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $86,379 in Kingsport | $115,769 in Kennewick |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,268/mo | $818/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (WA) | $0 (TN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 12% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $57,290 | $45,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Kennewick-Richland, WA MSA and Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA MSA. Metro areas: Kennewick-Richland, WA and Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Kennewick | Kingsport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 94.8 | 56.5 |
| Goods | 105.0 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 93.6 | 75.9 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 95.8 |
| Overall | 100.1 | 86.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Kennewick, WA → Kingsport, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +15.8%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
100 Strong offer
Kingsport, TN → Kennewick, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −13.6%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Kennewick, WA to Kingsport, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Kennewick, WA | Kingsport, TN | Real change, Kennewick → Kingsport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +15.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +15.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +15.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +15.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +15.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Kennewick, WA | Kingsport, TN | Kingsport pay in Kennewick dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $100,380 | $58,130 | $67,297 (−33.0%) |
| Software Developers | $127,800 | $115,310 | $133,493 (+4.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $93,280 | $75,940 | $87,915 (−5.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $106,410 | $76,730 | $88,830 (−16.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.