City comparison
Kingsport, TN vs Roanoke, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Roanoke, VA are 8.3% higher than in Kingsport, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Kingsport, TN would need about $108,300 in Roanoke, VA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,053 a month in Roanoke, VA versus $818 in Kingsport, TN. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Roanoke, VA and 12% in Kingsport, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,936 a year higher in Roanoke, VA 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 Roanoke, VA changes real buying power by −7.7%, purely from prices.
- Kingsport, TN: price level 86.4 (much cheaper)
- Roanoke, VA: price level 93.6 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Kingsport, TN | Roanoke, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 86.4 | 93.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $108,295 in Roanoke | $92,340 in Kingsport |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $818/mo | $1,053/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 12% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,240 | $47,140 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA MSA and Roanoke, VA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA and Roanoke, VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Kingsport | Roanoke |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 56.5 | 78.5 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 75.9 | 88.9 |
| Other services | 95.8 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 86.4 | 93.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Kingsport, TN → Roanoke, VA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.7%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$4,936/yr.
45 Weak offer
Roanoke, VA → Kingsport, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.3%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax −$4,936/yr.
95 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 Roanoke, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Kingsport, TN | Roanoke, VA | Real change, Kingsport → Roanoke |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −7.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −7.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −7.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −7.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −7.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Kingsport, TN | Roanoke, VA | Roanoke pay in Kingsport dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,130 | $62,010 | $57,260 (−1.5%) |
| Software Developers | $115,310 | $121,110 | $111,833 (−3.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,940 | $77,240 | $71,324 (−6.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $76,730 | $80,090 | $73,955 (−3.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.