City comparison
Kingsport, TN vs Providence, RI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Providence, RI are 17.7% higher than in Kingsport, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Kingsport, TN would need about $117,700 in Providence, RI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,402 a month in Providence, RI versus $818 in Kingsport, TN. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Providence, RI and 12% in Kingsport, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,148 a year higher in Providence, RI than in Kingsport, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +13.3% moving from Kingsport, TN to Providence, RI ($106,437 → $120,548), while prices change by +17.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.8% in real buying power.
- Kingsport, TN: price level 86.4 (much cheaper)
- Providence, RI: price level 101.8 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Kingsport, TN | Providence, RI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 86.4 | 101.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $117,729 in Providence | $84,941 in Kingsport |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $818/mo | $1,402/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,032 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $3,148 (RI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 12% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,240 | $53,680 |
| 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 Providence-Fall River, RI-MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA and Providence-Warwick, RI-MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Kingsport | Providence |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 56.5 | 103.9 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 97.1 |
| Utilities | 75.9 | 148.8 |
| Other services | 95.8 | 102.3 |
| Overall | 86.4 | 101.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Kingsport, TN → Providence, RI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −15.1%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$3,148/yr.
38 Weak offer
Providence, RI → Kingsport, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +17.7%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax −$3,148/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Kingsport, TN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Providence, RI is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Kingsport, TN to Providence, RI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Kingsport, TN | Providence, RI | Real change, Kingsport → Providence |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,905 | −3.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,579 | −3.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $101,375 | −3.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,548 | −3.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $142,452 | −3.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Kingsport, TN | Providence, RI | Providence pay in Kingsport dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,130 | $86,720 | $73,661 (+26.7%) |
| Software Developers | $115,310 | $130,690 | $111,009 (−3.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,940 | $95,020 | $80,711 (+6.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $76,730 | $99,880 | $84,839 (+10.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.