City comparison
Kingsport, TN vs Lubbock, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Lubbock, TX are 5.6% higher than in Kingsport, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Kingsport, TN would need about $105,600 in Lubbock, TX to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $990 a month in Lubbock, TX versus $818 in Kingsport, TN. On $100,000, that's 15% of take-home pay in Lubbock, TX and 12% in Kingsport, TN.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $0 a year in TN and $0 in TX.
- 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 Lubbock, TX changes real buying power by −5.3%, purely from prices.
- Kingsport, TN: price level 86.4 (much cheaper)
- Lubbock, TX: price level 91.3 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Kingsport, TN | Lubbock, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 86.4 | 91.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,634 in Lubbock | $94,667 in Kingsport |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $818/mo | $990/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 12% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,240 | $42,130 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA MSA and Lubbock, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA and Lubbock, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Kingsport | Lubbock |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 56.5 | 76.4 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 75.9 | 82.8 |
| Other services | 95.8 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 86.4 | 91.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Kingsport, TN → Lubbock, TX
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.3%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
52 Fair offer
Lubbock, TX → Kingsport, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.6%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
86 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 Lubbock, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Kingsport, TN | Lubbock, TX | Real change, Kingsport → Lubbock |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −5.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −5.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −5.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −5.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −5.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Kingsport, TN | Lubbock, TX | Lubbock pay in Kingsport dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,130 | $59,220 | $56,062 (−3.6%) |
| Software Developers | $115,310 | $115,190 | $109,047 (−5.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,940 | $74,390 | $70,423 (−7.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $76,730 | $81,480 | $77,135 (+0.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.