City comparison
Kingsport, TN vs Salem, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salem, OR are 19.9% higher than in Kingsport, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Kingsport, TN would need about $119,900 in Salem, OR to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,201 a month in Salem, OR versus $818 in Kingsport, TN. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Salem, OR and 12% in Kingsport, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $7,920 a year higher in Salem, OR than in Kingsport, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +7.7% moving from Kingsport, TN to Salem, OR ($106,437 → $114,684), while prices change by +19.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −10.1% in real buying power.
- Kingsport, TN: price level 86.4 (much cheaper)
- Salem, OR: price level 103.6 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Kingsport, TN | Salem, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 86.4 | 103.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $119,899 in Salem | $83,404 in Kingsport |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $818/mo | $1,201/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 12% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,240 | $55,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA MSA and Salem, OR MSA. Metro areas: Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA and Salem, OR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Kingsport | Salem |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 56.5 | 110.3 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 105.3 |
| Utilities | 75.9 | 104.7 |
| Other services | 95.8 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 86.4 | 103.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Kingsport, TN → Salem, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −16.6%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$7,920/yr.
38 Weak offer
Salem, OR → Kingsport, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +19.9%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax −$7,920/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Kingsport, TN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Salem, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Kingsport, TN to Salem, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Kingsport, TN | Salem, OR | Real change, Kingsport → Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $66,505 | −10.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $80,465 | −10.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $96,443 | −10.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $114,684 | −10.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $135,522 | −10.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Kingsport, TN | Salem, OR | Salem pay in Kingsport dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,130 | $74,810 | $62,394 (+7.3%) |
| Software Developers | $115,310 | $131,620 | $109,776 (−4.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,940 | $87,480 | $72,961 (−3.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $76,730 | $131,750 | $109,884 (+43.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.