City comparison
Fayetteville, NC vs Kingsport, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Fayetteville, NC are 6.4% higher than in Kingsport, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Kingsport, TN would need about $106,400 in Fayetteville, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,113 a month in Fayetteville, NC versus $818 in Kingsport, TN. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Fayetteville, NC and 12% in Kingsport, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,481 a year higher in Fayetteville, NC than in Kingsport, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Fayetteville, NC to Kingsport, TN ($111,147 → $106,437), while prices change by −6.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.9% in real buying power.
- Fayetteville, NC: price level 92.0 (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
| Fayetteville, NC | Kingsport, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.0 | 86.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,987 in Kingsport | $106,398 in Fayetteville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,113/mo | $818/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $0 (TN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 12% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,620 | $45,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Fayetteville, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA MSA. Metro areas: Fayetteville, NC and Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fayetteville | Kingsport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 73.1 | 56.5 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 87.8 | 75.9 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 95.8 |
| Overall | 92.0 | 86.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fayetteville, NC → Kingsport, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.4%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax −$3,481/yr.
89 Strong offer
Kingsport, TN → Fayetteville, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.0%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$3,481/yr.
50 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fayetteville, NC is in the Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC pay area; Kingsport, TN is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Fayetteville, NC to Kingsport, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fayetteville, NC | Kingsport, TN | Real change, Fayetteville → Kingsport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,453 | $61,722 | +1.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,983 | $74,678 | +1.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,468 | $89,508 | +1.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,147 | $106,437 | +1.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,342 | $125,776 | +1.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fayetteville, NC | Kingsport, TN | Kingsport pay in Fayetteville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $54,350 | $58,130 | $61,849 (+13.8%) |
| Software Developers | $122,900 | $115,310 | $122,688 (−0.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,560 | $75,940 | $80,799 (+2.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,060 | $76,730 | $81,639 (−1.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.