City comparison
Boise City, ID vs Kingsport, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boise City, ID are 13.8% higher than in Kingsport, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Kingsport, TN would need about $113,800 in Boise City, ID to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,381 a month in Boise City, ID versus $818 in Kingsport, TN. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Boise City, ID and 12% in Kingsport, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,192 a year higher in Boise City, ID 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 Boise City, ID to Kingsport, TN changes real buying power by +13.8%, purely from prices.
- Boise City, ID: price level 98.4 (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
| Boise City, ID | Kingsport, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.4 | 86.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $87,861 in Kingsport | $113,817 in Boise City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,381/mo | $818/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,988 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,192 (ID) | $0 (TN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 12% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,100 | $45,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Boise City, ID HUD Metro FMR Area and Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA MSA. Metro areas: Boise City, ID and Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boise City | Kingsport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.6 | 56.5 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 70.7 | 75.9 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 95.8 |
| Overall | 98.4 | 86.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boise City, ID → Kingsport, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +13.8%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax −$4,192/yr.
100 Strong offer
Kingsport, TN → Boise City, ID
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.1%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$4,192/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
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 Boise City, ID to Kingsport, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boise City, ID | Kingsport, TN | Real change, Boise City → Kingsport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +13.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +13.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +13.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +13.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +13.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boise City, ID | Kingsport, TN | Kingsport pay in Boise City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,230 | $58,130 | $66,162 (+8.1%) |
| Software Developers | $131,590 | $115,310 | $131,242 (−0.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,700 | $75,940 | $86,432 (+12.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,880 | $76,730 | $87,331 (−10.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.