City comparison
Grand Rapids, MI vs Kingsport, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Grand Rapids, MI are 10.5% higher than in Kingsport, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Kingsport, TN would need about $110,500 in Grand Rapids, MI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,278 a month in Grand Rapids, MI versus $818 in Kingsport, TN. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Grand Rapids, MI and 12% in Kingsport, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,999 a year higher in Grand Rapids, MI than in Kingsport, 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 Grand Rapids, MI to Kingsport, TN changes real buying power by +10.5%, purely from prices.
- Grand Rapids, MI: price level 95.5 (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
| Grand Rapids, MI | Kingsport, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 86.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,477 in Kingsport | $110,526 in Grand Rapids |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,278/mo | $818/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $0 (TN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 12% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,570 | $45,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI HUD Metro FMR Area and Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA MSA. Metro areas: Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI and Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Grand Rapids | Kingsport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.6 | 56.5 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 93.8 | 75.9 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 95.8 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 86.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Grand Rapids, MI → Kingsport, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.5%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax −$3,999/yr.
100 Strong offer
Kingsport, TN → Grand Rapids, MI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.5%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$3,999/yr.
39 Weak 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 Grand Rapids, MI to Kingsport, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Grand Rapids, MI | Kingsport, TN | Real change, Grand Rapids → Kingsport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +10.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +10.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +10.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +10.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +10.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Grand Rapids, MI | Kingsport, TN | Kingsport pay in Grand Rapids dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,900 | $58,130 | $64,248 (+3.8%) |
| Software Developers | $107,520 | $115,310 | $127,447 (+18.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,270 | $75,940 | $83,933 (+10.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,920 | $76,730 | $84,806 (+1.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.