City comparison
Kingsport, TN vs Wichita, KS
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Wichita, KS are 2.9% higher than in Kingsport, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Kingsport, TN would need about $102,900 in Wichita, KS to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $818 a month in Kingsport, TN and $849 in Wichita, KS.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,780 a year higher in Wichita, KS 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 Wichita, KS changes real buying power by −2.8%, purely from prices.
- Kingsport, TN: price level 86.4 (much cheaper)
- Wichita, KS: price level 88.9 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Kingsport, TN | Wichita, KS | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 86.4 | 88.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,891 in Wichita | $97,190 in Kingsport |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $818/mo | $849/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $4,780 (KS) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 12% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,240 | $47,630 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA MSA and Wichita, KS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA and Wichita, KS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Kingsport | Wichita |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 56.5 | 66.2 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 94.0 |
| Utilities | 75.9 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 95.8 | 93.8 |
| Overall | 86.4 | 88.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Kingsport, TN → Wichita, KS
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.8%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$4,780/yr.
60 Fair offer
Wichita, KS → Kingsport, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.9%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax −$4,780/yr.
78 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 Wichita, KS at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Kingsport, TN | Wichita, KS | Real change, Kingsport → Wichita |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −2.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −2.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −2.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −2.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −2.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Kingsport, TN | Wichita, KS | Wichita pay in Kingsport dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,130 | $58,640 | $56,992 (−2.0%) |
| Software Developers | $115,310 | $105,980 | $103,002 (−10.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,940 | $79,270 | $77,043 (+1.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $76,730 | $76,540 | $74,390 (−3.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.