City comparison
Kingsport, TN vs Springfield, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Springfield, MA are 11.1% higher than in Kingsport, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Kingsport, TN would need about $111,100 in Springfield, MA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,382 a month in Springfield, MA versus $818 in Kingsport, TN. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Springfield, MA and 12% in Kingsport, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,780 a year higher in Springfield, MA than in Kingsport, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.8% moving from Kingsport, TN to Springfield, MA ($106,437 → $120,094), while prices change by +11.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.5% in real buying power.
- Kingsport, TN: price level 86.4 (much cheaper)
- Springfield, MA: price level 96.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Kingsport, TN | Springfield, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 86.4 | 96.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $111,121 in Springfield | $89,992 in Kingsport |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $818/mo | $1,382/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 12% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,240 | $51,930 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA MSA and Springfield, MA MSA. Metro areas: Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA and Springfield, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Kingsport | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 56.5 | 75.8 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 75.9 | 155.0 |
| Other services | 95.8 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 86.4 | 96.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Kingsport, TN → Springfield, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.0%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$4,780/yr.
38 Weak offer
Springfield, MA → Kingsport, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.1%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax −$4,780/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Kingsport, TN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Springfield, MA is in Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA. The last column shows what a transfer from Kingsport, TN to Springfield, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Kingsport, TN | Springfield, MA | Real change, Kingsport → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,642 | +1.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,260 | +1.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $100,992 | +1.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,094 | +1.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $141,915 | +1.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Kingsport, TN | Springfield, MA | Springfield pay in Kingsport dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,130 | $79,640 | $71,669 (+23.3%) |
| Software Developers | $115,310 | $127,740 | $114,955 (−0.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,940 | $92,010 | $82,801 (+9.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $76,730 | $98,410 | $88,561 (+15.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.