City comparison
Denver, CO vs Kingsport, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Denver, CO are 22.4% higher than in Kingsport, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Kingsport, TN would need about $122,400 in Denver, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,754 a month in Denver, CO versus $818 in Kingsport, TN. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Denver, CO and 12% in Kingsport, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,692 a year higher in Denver, CO than in Kingsport, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.3% moving from Denver, CO to Kingsport, TN ($118,675 → $106,437), while prices change by −18.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +9.7% in real buying power.
- Denver, CO: price level 105.8 (pricier)
- 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
| Denver, CO | Kingsport, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.8 | 86.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $81,722 in Kingsport | $122,366 in Denver |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,754/mo | $818/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $0 (TN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 28% | 12% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $62,320 | $45,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO MSA and Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA MSA. Metro areas: Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO and Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Denver | Kingsport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 146.9 | 56.5 |
| Goods | 101.0 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 87.9 | 75.9 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 95.8 |
| Overall | 105.8 | 86.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Denver, CO → Kingsport, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +22.4%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax −$3,692/yr.
100 Strong offer
Kingsport, TN → Denver, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −18.3%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$3,692/yr.
33 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Denver, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Kingsport, TN is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Denver, CO to Kingsport, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Denver, CO | Kingsport, TN | Real change, Denver → Kingsport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $61,722 | +9.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $74,678 | +9.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $89,508 | +9.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $106,437 | +9.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $125,776 | +9.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Denver, CO | Kingsport, TN | Kingsport pay in Denver dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,910 | $58,130 | $71,132 (−7.5%) |
| Software Developers | $137,610 | $115,310 | $141,101 (+2.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $100,020 | $75,940 | $92,925 (−7.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,130 | $76,730 | $93,892 (−7.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.