City comparison
Atlanta, GA vs Kingsport, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Atlanta, GA are 15.7% higher than in Kingsport, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Kingsport, TN would need about $115,700 in Atlanta, GA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,660 a month in Atlanta, GA versus $818 in Kingsport, TN. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Atlanta, GA and 12% in Kingsport, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,567 a year higher in Atlanta, GA than in Kingsport, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −5.4% moving from Atlanta, GA to Kingsport, TN ($112,556 → $106,437), while prices change by −13.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +9.5% in real buying power.
- Atlanta, GA: price level 100.1 (about average)
- Kingsport, TN: price level 86.4 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Atlanta, GA | Kingsport, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.1 | 86.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $86,397 in Kingsport | $115,745 in Atlanta |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,660/mo | $818/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,613 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,567 (GA) | $0 (TN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 27% | 12% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,170 | $45,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA HUD Metro FMR Area and Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA MSA. Metro areas: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA and Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Atlanta | Kingsport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 111.0 | 56.5 |
| Goods | 100.4 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 96.2 | 75.9 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 95.8 |
| Overall | 100.1 | 86.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Atlanta, GA → Kingsport, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +15.7%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax −$4,567/yr.
100 Strong offer
Kingsport, TN → Atlanta, GA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −13.6%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$4,567/yr.
35 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Atlanta, GA is in the Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL pay area; Kingsport, TN is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Atlanta, GA to Kingsport, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Atlanta, GA | Kingsport, TN | Real change, Atlanta → Kingsport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,271 | $61,722 | +9.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,972 | $74,678 | +9.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $94,654 | $89,508 | +9.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $112,556 | $106,437 | +9.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,007 | $125,776 | +9.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Atlanta, GA | Kingsport, TN | Kingsport pay in Atlanta dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,570 | $58,130 | $67,283 (−12.1%) |
| Software Developers | $132,960 | $115,310 | $133,465 (+0.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,820 | $75,940 | $87,897 (+2.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,490 | $76,730 | $88,811 (−11.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.