City comparison
Kingsport, TN vs Scranton, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Scranton, PA are 8.2% higher than in Kingsport, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Kingsport, TN would need about $108,200 in Scranton, PA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,028 a month in Scranton, PA versus $818 in Kingsport, TN. On $100,000, that's 16% of take-home pay in Scranton, PA and 12% in Kingsport, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,070 a year higher in Scranton, PA 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 Scranton, PA changes real buying power by −7.6%, purely from prices.
- Kingsport, TN: price level 86.4 (much cheaper)
- Scranton, PA: price level 93.6 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Kingsport, TN | Scranton, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 86.4 | 93.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $108,224 in Scranton | $92,401 in Kingsport |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $818/mo | $1,028/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 12% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,240 | $46,330 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA MSA and Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA MSA. Metro areas: Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA and Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Kingsport | Scranton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 56.5 | 67.0 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 75.9 | 106.5 |
| Other services | 95.8 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 86.4 | 93.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Kingsport, TN → Scranton, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.6%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$3,070/yr.
45 Fair offer
Scranton, PA → Kingsport, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.2%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax −$3,070/yr.
94 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 Scranton, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Kingsport, TN | Scranton, PA | Real change, Kingsport → Scranton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −7.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −7.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −7.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −7.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −7.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Kingsport, TN | Scranton, PA | Scranton pay in Kingsport dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,130 | $76,590 | $70,770 (+21.7%) |
| Software Developers | $115,310 | $119,960 | $110,845 (−3.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,940 | $70,480 | $65,124 (−14.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $76,730 | $82,650 | $76,370 (−0.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.