City comparison
Kingsport, TN vs Lafayette, LA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Kingsport, TN (86.4) and Lafayette, LA (87.2, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Kingsport, TN goes as far as $100,900 in Lafayette, LA.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $898 a month in Lafayette, LA versus $818 in Kingsport, TN. On $100,000, that's 14% of take-home pay in Lafayette, LA and 12% in Kingsport, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,614 a year higher in Lafayette, LA 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 Kingsport, TN to Lafayette, LA changes real buying power by −0.9%, purely from prices.
- Kingsport, TN: price level 86.4 (much cheaper)
- Lafayette, LA: price level 87.2 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Kingsport, TN | Lafayette, LA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 86.4 | 87.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,881 in Lafayette | $99,126 in Kingsport |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $818/mo | $898/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,566 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $2,614 (LA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 12% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,240 | $41,780 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA MSA and Lafayette, LA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA and Lafayette, LA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Kingsport | Lafayette |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 56.5 | 58.8 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 75.9 | 71.2 |
| Other services | 95.8 | 95.7 |
| Overall | 86.4 | 87.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Kingsport, TN → Lafayette, LA
Roughly even
Buying power −0.9%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$2,614/yr.
66 Fair offer
Lafayette, LA → Kingsport, TN
Roughly even
Buying power +0.9%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax −$2,614/yr.
72 Strong 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 Kingsport, TN to Lafayette, LA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Kingsport, TN | Lafayette, LA | Real change, Kingsport → Lafayette |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −0.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −0.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −0.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −0.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −0.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Kingsport, TN | Lafayette, LA | Lafayette pay in Kingsport dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,130 | $47,770 | $47,353 (−18.5%) |
| Software Developers | $115,310 | $109,010 | $108,058 (−6.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,940 | $67,630 | $67,039 (−11.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $76,730 | $81,960 | $81,244 (+5.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.