City comparison
Kingsport, TN vs Waterbury, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Waterbury, CT are 15.4% higher than in Kingsport, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Kingsport, TN would need about $115,400 in Waterbury, CT to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,445 a month in Waterbury, CT versus $818 in Kingsport, TN. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Waterbury, CT and 12% in Kingsport, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,925 a year higher in Waterbury, CT than in Kingsport, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +17.8% moving from Kingsport, TN to Waterbury, CT ($106,437 → $125,431), while prices change by +15.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.1% in real buying power.
- Kingsport, TN: price level 86.4 (much cheaper)
- Waterbury, CT: price level 99.8 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Kingsport, TN | Waterbury, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 86.4 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $115,421 in Waterbury | $86,639 in Kingsport |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $818/mo | $1,445/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 12% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,240 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA MSA and Waterbury-Shelton, CT MSA. Metro areas: Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA and Waterbury-Shelton, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Kingsport | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 56.5 | 89.1 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 75.9 | 147.6 |
| Other services | 95.8 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 86.4 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Kingsport, TN → Waterbury, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −13.4%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$3,925/yr.
38 Weak offer
Waterbury, CT → Kingsport, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +15.4%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax −$3,925/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Kingsport, TN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Waterbury, CT is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Kingsport, TN to Waterbury, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Kingsport, TN | Waterbury, CT | Real change, Kingsport → Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $72,737 | +2.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $88,005 | +2.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $105,481 | +2.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $125,431 | +2.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $148,222 | +2.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Kingsport, TN | Waterbury, CT | Waterbury pay in Kingsport dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,130 | $79,640 | $69,000 (+18.7%) |
| Software Developers | $115,310 | $131,290 | $113,749 (−1.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,940 | $93,010 | $80,583 (+6.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $76,730 | $101,690 | $88,104 (+14.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.