City comparison
Kingsport, TN vs Portland, ME
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, ME are 17.8% higher than in Kingsport, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Kingsport, TN would need about $117,800 in Portland, ME to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,658 a month in Portland, ME versus $818 in Kingsport, TN. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Portland, ME and 12% in Kingsport, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,654 a year higher in Portland, ME than in Kingsport, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +13.3% moving from Kingsport, TN to Portland, ME ($106,437 → $120,548), while prices change by +17.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.9% in real buying power.
- Kingsport, TN: price level 86.4 (much cheaper)
- Portland, ME: price level 101.9 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Kingsport, TN | Portland, ME | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 86.4 | 101.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $117,827 in Portland | $84,870 in Kingsport |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $818/mo | $1,658/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $73,526 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $5,654 (ME) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 12% | 27% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,240 | $56,960 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA MSA and Portland, ME HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA and Portland-South Portland, ME.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Kingsport | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 56.5 | 105.2 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 97.2 |
| Utilities | 75.9 | 134.6 |
| Other services | 95.8 | 103.2 |
| Overall | 86.4 | 101.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Kingsport, TN → Portland, ME
Same pay buys less
Buying power −15.1%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$5,654/yr.
34 Weak offer
Portland, ME → Kingsport, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +17.8%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax −$5,654/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Kingsport, TN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Portland, ME is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Kingsport, TN to Portland, ME at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Kingsport, TN | Portland, ME | Real change, Kingsport → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,905 | −3.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,579 | −3.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $101,375 | −3.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,548 | −3.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $142,452 | −3.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Kingsport, TN | Portland, ME | Portland pay in Kingsport dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,130 | $76,770 | $65,155 (+12.1%) |
| Software Developers | $115,310 | $128,710 | $109,236 (−5.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,940 | $79,790 | $67,718 (−10.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $76,730 | $88,470 | $75,085 (−2.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.