City comparison
Kingsport, TN vs Springfield, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Springfield, MO are 2.5% higher than in Kingsport, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Kingsport, TN would need about $102,500 in Springfield, MO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $883 a month in Springfield, MO versus $818 in Kingsport, TN. On $100,000, that's 14% of take-home pay in Springfield, MO and 12% in Kingsport, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,763 a year higher in Springfield, MO 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 Springfield, MO changes real buying power by −2.4%, purely from prices.
- Kingsport, TN: price level 86.4 (much cheaper)
- Springfield, MO: price level 88.6 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Kingsport, TN | Springfield, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 86.4 | 88.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,473 in Springfield | $97,586 in Kingsport |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $818/mo | $883/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,417 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $3,763 (MO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 12% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,240 | $45,780 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA MSA and Springfield, MO HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA and Springfield, MO.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Kingsport | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 56.5 | 65.6 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 94.2 |
| Utilities | 75.9 | 85.8 |
| Other services | 95.8 | 93.0 |
| Overall | 86.4 | 88.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Kingsport, TN → Springfield, MO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.4%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$3,763/yr.
61 Fair offer
Springfield, MO → Kingsport, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.5%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax −$3,763/yr.
76 Strong offer
Federal employees: GS pay
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 Springfield, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Kingsport, TN | Springfield, MO | Real change, Kingsport → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −2.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −2.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −2.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −2.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −2.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Kingsport, TN | Springfield, MO | Springfield pay in Kingsport dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $102,450 | $84,690 | $82,646 (−19.3%) |
| Software Developers | $115,310 | $102,350 | $99,880 (−13.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,940 | $73,020 | $71,258 (−6.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $76,730 | $79,370 | $77,454 (+0.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.