City comparison
Jackson, MS vs Kingsport, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Jackson, MS are 3.0% higher than in Kingsport, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Kingsport, TN would need about $103,000 in Jackson, MS to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,097 a month in Jackson, MS versus $818 in Kingsport, TN. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Jackson, MS and 12% in Kingsport, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,268 a year higher in Jackson, MS 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 Jackson, MS to Kingsport, TN changes real buying power by +3.0%, purely from prices.
- Jackson, MS: price level 89.0 (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
| Jackson, MS | Kingsport, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.0 | 86.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,079 in Kingsport | $103,009 in Jackson |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,097/mo | $818/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,912 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,268 (MS) | $0 (TN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 12% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $42,850 | $45,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Jackson, MS HUD Metro FMR Area and Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA MSA. Metro areas: Jackson, MS and Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Jackson | Kingsport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 64.8 | 56.5 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 78.1 | 75.9 |
| Other services | 96.1 | 95.8 |
| Overall | 89.0 | 86.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Jackson, MS → Kingsport, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.0%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax −$3,268/yr.
78 Strong offer
Kingsport, TN → Jackson, MS
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.9%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$3,268/yr.
60 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 Jackson, MS to Kingsport, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Jackson, MS | Kingsport, TN | Real change, Jackson → Kingsport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +3.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +3.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +3.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +3.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +3.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Jackson, MS | Kingsport, TN | Kingsport pay in Jackson dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,240 | $58,130 | $59,879 (+19.2%) |
| Software Developers | $96,990 | $115,310 | $118,779 (+22.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $70,720 | $75,940 | $78,225 (+10.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,630 | $76,730 | $79,039 (−4.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.