City comparison
College Station, TX vs Kingsport, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in College Station, TX are 5.2% higher than in Kingsport, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Kingsport, TN would need about $105,200 in College Station, TX to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,082 a month in College Station, TX versus $818 in Kingsport, TN. On $100,000, that's 16% of take-home pay in College Station, 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 College Station, TX to Kingsport, TN changes real buying power by +5.2%, purely from prices.
- College Station, TX: price level 91.0 (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
| College Station, TX | Kingsport, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.0 | 86.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,048 in Kingsport | $105,210 in College Station |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,082/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 | 16% | 12% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,470 | $45,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: College Station-Bryan, TX MSA and Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA MSA. Metro areas: College Station-Bryan, TX and Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | College Station | Kingsport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 75.1 | 56.5 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 84.4 | 75.9 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 95.8 |
| Overall | 91.0 | 86.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
College Station, TX → Kingsport, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.2%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
85 Strong offer
Kingsport, TN → College Station, TX
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.0%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
53 Fair 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 College Station, TX to Kingsport, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | College Station, TX | Kingsport, TN | Real change, College Station → Kingsport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +5.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +5.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +5.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +5.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +5.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | College Station, TX | Kingsport, TN | Kingsport pay in College Station dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $57,870 | $58,130 | $61,159 (+5.7%) |
| Software Developers | $101,910 | $115,310 | $121,318 (+19.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $71,810 | $75,940 | $79,897 (+11.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,090 | $76,730 | $80,728 (−2.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.