City comparison
Kingsport, TN vs Montgomery, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Montgomery, AL are 3.7% higher than in Kingsport, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Kingsport, TN would need about $103,700 in Montgomery, AL to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $870 a month in Montgomery, AL versus $818 in Kingsport, TN. On $100,000, that's 14% of take-home pay in Montgomery, AL and 12% in Kingsport, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,735 a year higher in Montgomery, AL than in Kingsport, 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 Kingsport, TN to Montgomery, AL changes real buying power by −3.6%, purely from prices.
- Kingsport, TN: price level 86.4 (much cheaper)
- Montgomery, AL: price level 89.7 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Kingsport, TN | Montgomery, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 86.4 | 89.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,742 in Montgomery | $96,393 in Kingsport |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $818/mo | $870/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 12% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,240 | $44,950 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA MSA and Montgomery, AL MSA. Metro areas: Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA and Montgomery, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Kingsport | Montgomery |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 56.5 | 64.3 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 75.9 | 84.9 |
| Other services | 95.8 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 86.4 | 89.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Kingsport, TN → Montgomery, AL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.6%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$4,735/yr.
57 Fair offer
Montgomery, AL → Kingsport, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.7%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax −$4,735/yr.
80 Strong 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 Kingsport, TN to Montgomery, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Kingsport, TN | Montgomery, AL | Real change, Kingsport → Montgomery |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −3.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −3.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −3.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −3.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −3.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Kingsport, TN | Montgomery, AL | Montgomery pay in Kingsport dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,130 | $59,610 | $57,460 (−1.2%) |
| Software Developers | $115,310 | $110,620 | $106,630 (−7.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,940 | $75,040 | $72,333 (−4.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $76,730 | $79,570 | $76,700 (−0.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.