City comparison
Kingsport, TN vs Lexington, KY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Lexington, KY are 7.5% higher than in Kingsport, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Kingsport, TN would need about $107,500 in Lexington, KY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,079 a month in Lexington, KY versus $818 in Kingsport, TN. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Lexington, KY and 12% in Kingsport, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,382 a year higher in Lexington, KY 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 Lexington, KY changes real buying power by −6.9%, purely from prices.
- Kingsport, TN: price level 86.4 (much cheaper)
- Lexington, KY: price level 92.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Kingsport, TN | Lexington, KY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 86.4 | 92.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,452 in Lexington | $93,065 in Kingsport |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $818/mo | $1,079/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,798 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $3,382 (KY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 12% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,240 | $48,620 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA MSA and Lexington-Fayette, KY MSA. Metro areas: Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA and Lexington-Fayette, KY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Kingsport | Lexington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 56.5 | 77.1 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 75.9 | 74.6 |
| Other services | 95.8 | 96.9 |
| Overall | 86.4 | 92.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Kingsport, TN → Lexington, KY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.9%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$3,382/yr.
47 Fair offer
Lexington, KY → Kingsport, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.5%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax −$3,382/yr.
92 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 Lexington, KY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Kingsport, TN | Lexington, KY | Real change, Kingsport → Lexington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −6.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −6.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −6.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −6.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −6.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Kingsport, TN | Lexington, KY | Lexington pay in Kingsport dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,130 | $61,460 | $57,198 (−1.6%) |
| Software Developers | $115,310 | $123,510 | $114,944 (−0.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,940 | $77,780 | $72,386 (−4.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $76,730 | $79,040 | $73,558 (−4.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.