City comparison
Brownsville, TX vs Kingsport, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Brownsville, TX (86.0) and Kingsport, TN (86.4, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Brownsville, TX goes as far as $100,500 in Kingsport, TN.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $866 a month in Brownsville, TX versus $818 in Kingsport, TN. On $100,000, that's 13% of take-home pay in Brownsville, TX and 12% in Kingsport, TN.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $0 a year in TX and $0 in 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 Brownsville, TX to Kingsport, TN changes real buying power by −0.5%, purely from prices.
- Brownsville, TX: price level 86.0 (much cheaper)
- 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
| Brownsville, TX | Kingsport, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 86.0 | 86.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,549 in Kingsport | $99,454 in Brownsville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $866/mo | $818/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $0 (TN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 13% | 12% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $36,490 | $45,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Brownsville-Harlingen, TX MSA and Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA MSA. Metro areas: Brownsville-Harlingen, TX and Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Brownsville | Kingsport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 57.7 | 56.5 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 81.2 | 75.9 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 95.8 |
| Overall | 86.0 | 86.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Brownsville, TX → Kingsport, TN
Roughly even
Buying power −0.5%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
67 Fair offer
Kingsport, TN → Brownsville, TX
Roughly even
Buying power +0.5%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
70 Strong 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 Brownsville, TX to Kingsport, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Brownsville, TX | Kingsport, TN | Real change, Brownsville → Kingsport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −0.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −0.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −0.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −0.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −0.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Brownsville, TX | Kingsport, TN | Kingsport pay in Brownsville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,350 | $58,130 | $57,813 (−8.7%) |
| Software Developers | $106,990 | $115,310 | $114,680 (+7.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $66,440 | $75,940 | $75,525 (+13.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,090 | $76,730 | $76,311 (−5.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.