City comparison
Atlantic City, NJ vs Kingsport, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Atlantic City, NJ are 14.4% higher than in Kingsport, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Kingsport, TN would need about $114,400 in Atlantic City, NJ to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,537 a month in Atlantic City, NJ versus $818 in Kingsport, TN. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Atlantic City, NJ and 12% in Kingsport, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,180 a year higher in Atlantic City, NJ than in Kingsport, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.2% moving from Atlantic City, NJ to Kingsport, TN ($117,284 → $106,437), while prices change by −12.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.8% in real buying power.
- Atlantic City, NJ: price level 98.9 (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
| Atlantic City, NJ | Kingsport, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.9 | 86.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $87,447 in Kingsport | $114,356 in Atlantic City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,537/mo | $818/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,000 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,180 (NJ) | $0 (TN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 12% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,520 | $45,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ HUD Metro FMR Area and Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA MSA. Metro areas: Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ and Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Atlantic City | Kingsport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.7 | 56.5 |
| Goods | 99.8 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 109.2 | 75.9 |
| Other services | 97.9 | 95.8 |
| Overall | 98.9 | 86.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Atlantic City, NJ → Kingsport, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +14.4%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax −$4,180/yr.
100 Strong offer
Kingsport, TN → Atlantic City, NJ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.6%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$4,180/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Atlantic City, NJ is in the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD pay area; Kingsport, TN is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Atlantic City, NJ to Kingsport, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Atlantic City, NJ | Kingsport, TN | Real change, Atlantic City → Kingsport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,013 | $61,722 | +3.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,289 | $74,678 | +3.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,630 | $89,508 | +3.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,284 | $106,437 | +3.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,595 | $125,776 | +3.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Atlantic City, NJ | Kingsport, TN | Kingsport pay in Atlantic City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,480 | $58,130 | $66,475 (−17.4%) |
| Software Developers | $126,670 | $115,310 | $131,863 (+4.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,040 | $75,940 | $86,842 (+4.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,320 | $76,730 | $87,745 (−11.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.