City comparison
Kingsport, TN vs Rochester, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Rochester, NY are 12.2% higher than in Kingsport, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Kingsport, TN would need about $112,200 in Rochester, NY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,256 a month in Rochester, NY versus $818 in Kingsport, TN. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Rochester, NY and 12% in Kingsport, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,860 a year higher in Rochester, NY than in Kingsport, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.7% moving from Kingsport, TN to Rochester, NY ($106,437 → $107,182), while prices change by +12.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −10.3% in real buying power.
- Kingsport, TN: price level 86.4 (much cheaper)
- Rochester, NY: price level 97.0 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Kingsport, TN | Rochester, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 86.4 | 97.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $112,248 in Rochester | $89,088 in Kingsport |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $818/mo | $1,256/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 12% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,240 | $51,210 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY |
Rent areas: Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA MSA and Rochester, NY MSA. Metro areas: Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA and Rochester, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Kingsport | Rochester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 56.5 | 87.5 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 75.9 | 133.2 |
| Other services | 95.8 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 86.4 | 97.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Kingsport, TN → Rochester, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.9%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$4,860/yr.
38 Weak offer
Rochester, NY → Kingsport, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.2%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax −$4,860/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Kingsport, TN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Rochester, NY is in Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY. The last column shows what a transfer from Kingsport, TN to Rochester, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Kingsport, TN | Rochester, NY | Real change, Kingsport → Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,155 | −10.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,202 | −10.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,135 | −10.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $107,182 | −10.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $126,657 | −10.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Kingsport, TN | Rochester, NY | Rochester pay in Kingsport dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,130 | $62,840 | $55,983 (−3.7%) |
| Software Developers | $115,310 | $122,770 | $109,374 (−5.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,940 | $80,890 | $72,064 (−5.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $76,730 | $86,570 | $77,124 (+0.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.