City comparison
Kingsport, TN vs Tulsa, OK
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Tulsa, OK are 3.2% higher than in Kingsport, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Kingsport, TN would need about $103,200 in Tulsa, OK to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $987 a month in Tulsa, OK versus $818 in Kingsport, TN. On $100,000, that's 16% of take-home pay in Tulsa, OK and 12% in Kingsport, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,955 a year higher in Tulsa, OK 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 Tulsa, OK changes real buying power by −3.1%, purely from prices.
- Kingsport, TN: price level 86.4 (much cheaper)
- Tulsa, OK: price level 89.2 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Kingsport, TN | Tulsa, OK | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 86.4 | 89.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,201 in Tulsa | $96,898 in Kingsport |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $818/mo | $987/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,226 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $3,955 (OK) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 12% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,240 | $46,670 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA MSA and Tulsa, OK HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA and Tulsa, OK.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Kingsport | Tulsa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 56.5 | 68.2 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 75.9 | 73.9 |
| Other services | 95.8 | 95.5 |
| Overall | 86.4 | 89.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Kingsport, TN → Tulsa, OK
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.1%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$3,955/yr.
59 Fair offer
Tulsa, OK → Kingsport, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.2%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax −$3,955/yr.
79 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 Tulsa, OK at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Kingsport, TN | Tulsa, OK | Real change, Kingsport → Tulsa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −3.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −3.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −3.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −3.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −3.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Kingsport, TN | Tulsa, OK | Tulsa pay in Kingsport dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $102,450 | $101,790 | $98,633 (−3.7%) |
| Software Developers | $115,310 | $108,730 | $105,358 (−8.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,940 | $81,320 | $78,798 (+3.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $76,730 | $84,790 | $82,160 (+7.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.