City comparison
El Paso, TX vs Kingsport, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in El Paso, TX are 4.0% higher than in Kingsport, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Kingsport, TN would need about $104,000 in El Paso, TX to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,013 a month in El Paso, TX versus $818 in Kingsport, TN. On $100,000, that's 15% of take-home pay in El Paso, 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 El Paso, TX to Kingsport, TN changes real buying power by +4.0%, purely from prices.
- El Paso, TX: price level 89.9 (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
| El Paso, TX | Kingsport, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.9 | 86.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,146 in Kingsport | $104,008 in El Paso |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,013/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 | 15% | 12% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $39,510 | $45,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: El Paso, TX HUD Metro FMR Area and Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA MSA. Metro areas: El Paso, TX and Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | El Paso | Kingsport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 71.2 | 56.5 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 82.6 | 75.9 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 95.8 |
| Overall | 89.9 | 86.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
El Paso, TX → Kingsport, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.0%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
81 Strong offer
Kingsport, TN → El Paso, TX
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.9%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
57 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 El Paso, TX to Kingsport, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | El Paso, TX | Kingsport, TN | Real change, El Paso → Kingsport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +4.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +4.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +4.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +4.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +4.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | El Paso, TX | Kingsport, TN | Kingsport pay in El Paso dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,800 | $58,130 | $60,460 (−5.2%) |
| Software Developers | $127,310 | $115,310 | $119,932 (−5.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,990 | $75,940 | $78,984 (+19.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $86,100 | $76,730 | $79,806 (−7.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.