City comparison
Kingsport, TN vs Winston, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Winston, NC are 6.5% higher than in Kingsport, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Kingsport, TN would need about $106,500 in Winston, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,082 a month in Winston, NC versus $818 in Kingsport, TN. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Winston, NC and 12% in Kingsport, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,481 a year higher in Winston, NC 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 Winston, NC changes real buying power by −6.1%, purely from prices.
- Kingsport, TN: price level 86.4 (much cheaper)
- Winston, NC: price level 92.0 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Kingsport, TN | Winston, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 86.4 | 92.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,473 in Winston | $93,920 in Kingsport |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $818/mo | $1,082/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 12% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,240 | $46,380 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA MSA and Winston-Salem, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA and Winston-Salem, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Kingsport | Winston |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 56.5 | 71.4 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 75.9 | 88.4 |
| Other services | 95.8 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 86.4 | 92.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Kingsport, TN → Winston, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.1%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$3,481/yr.
50 Fair offer
Winston, NC → Kingsport, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.5%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax −$3,481/yr.
89 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 Winston, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Kingsport, TN | Winston, NC | Real change, Kingsport → Winston |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −6.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −6.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −6.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −6.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −6.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Kingsport, TN | Winston, NC | Winston pay in Kingsport dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,130 | $56,510 | $53,074 (−8.7%) |
| Software Developers | $115,310 | $124,130 | $116,583 (+1.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,940 | $78,950 | $74,150 (−2.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $76,730 | $86,120 | $80,884 (+5.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.