City comparison
Kingsport, TN vs Rockford, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Rockford, IL are 6.6% higher than in Kingsport, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Kingsport, TN would need about $106,600 in Rockford, IL to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $895 a month in Rockford, IL versus $818 in Kingsport, TN. On $100,000, that's 14% of take-home pay in Rockford, IL and 12% in Kingsport, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,805 a year higher in Rockford, IL than in Kingsport, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +11.8% moving from Kingsport, TN to Rockford, IL ($106,437 → $118,984), while prices change by +6.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.9% in real buying power.
- Kingsport, TN: price level 86.4 (much cheaper)
- Rockford, IL: price level 92.2 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Kingsport, TN | Rockford, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 86.4 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,602 in Rockford | $93,807 in Kingsport |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $818/mo | $895/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,375 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $4,805 (IL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 12% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,240 | $47,120 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI |
Rent areas: Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA MSA and Rockford, IL MSA. Metro areas: Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA and Rockford, IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Kingsport | Rockford |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 56.5 | 70.1 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 75.9 | 89.4 |
| Other services | 95.8 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 86.4 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Kingsport, TN → Rockford, IL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.2%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$4,805/yr.
49 Fair offer
Rockford, IL → Kingsport, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.6%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax −$4,805/yr.
89 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Kingsport, TN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Rockford, IL is in Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Kingsport, TN to Rockford, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Kingsport, TN | Rockford, IL | Real change, Kingsport → Rockford |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $68,999 | +4.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $83,482 | +4.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $100,059 | +4.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $118,984 | +4.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $140,604 | +4.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Kingsport, TN | Rockford, IL | Rockford pay in Kingsport dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,130 | $64,200 | $60,224 (+3.6%) |
| Software Developers | $115,310 | $107,640 | $100,974 (−12.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,940 | $75,260 | $70,599 (−7.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $76,730 | $80,930 | $75,918 (−1.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.