$100k salary, packing up from Boise
changea dispatch from
kingsport
TN
36.55°N
82.56°W
Kingsport is a planned 'model city' built by the Eastman Chemical Company in the early 1900s, with a downtown laid out in deliberate grids and the company still dominating the local economy. It's in the Tri-Cities area (with Bristol and Johnson City), tucked into the Appalachian foothills. Bays Mountain Park and the South Fork Holston River give it strong outdoor access. Quietly orderly.
in our guides
the verdict
under Boise, every month
Kingsport sits well below Boise on cost. Same paycheck, a noticeably lighter month.
a quick ledger.
$1,383/mo
23% cheaper than Boise(vs $1,794/mo)
0%
$483/mo less in state tax than Boise
vs 5.8% in Boise
$6,950/mo
$894 more than Boise
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$244k
50% cheaper than Boise
vs $490k in Boise
312k
vs 827k in Boise
field notes, weather & such.
188
pleasant days a year, in kingsport.
Boise only manages 166 of those.
But the calendar thins out: Boise stays 4.9× busier.
59/100
28% lower than Boise
vs 82/100 in Boise
Closest outdoor draw: Natural Tunnel State Park, 13.9 mi.
74/100
23% lower than Boise
vs 96/100 in Boise
4
75% fewer than Boise
vs 16 nonstops in Boise
if kingsport appeals, also worth a look:
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