City comparison
Kingsport, TN vs Syracuse, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Syracuse, NY are 10.8% higher than in Kingsport, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Kingsport, TN would need about $110,800 in Syracuse, NY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,123 a month in Syracuse, NY versus $818 in Kingsport, TN. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Syracuse, NY and 12% in Kingsport, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,860 a year higher in Syracuse, NY 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 Syracuse, NY changes real buying power by −9.7%, purely from prices.
- Kingsport, TN: price level 86.4 (much cheaper)
- Syracuse, NY: price level 95.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Kingsport, TN | Syracuse, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 86.4 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $110,752 in Syracuse | $90,292 in Kingsport |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $818/mo | $1,123/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% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,240 | $52,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA MSA and Syracuse, NY MSA. Metro areas: Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA and Syracuse, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Kingsport | Syracuse |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 56.5 | 80.7 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 75.9 | 133.4 |
| Other services | 95.8 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 86.4 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Kingsport, TN → Syracuse, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.7%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$4,860/yr.
38 Weak offer
Syracuse, NY → Kingsport, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.8%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax −$4,860/yr.
100 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 Syracuse, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Kingsport, TN | Syracuse, NY | Real change, Kingsport → Syracuse |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −9.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −9.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −9.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −9.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −9.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Kingsport, TN | Syracuse, NY | Syracuse pay in Kingsport dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,130 | $78,560 | $70,933 (+22.0%) |
| Software Developers | $115,310 | $129,100 | $116,566 (+1.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,940 | $82,230 | $74,247 (−2.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $76,730 | $86,960 | $78,518 (+2.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.