$100k salary, packing up from Detroit
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
less monthly outlay than Detroit
The gap is real. Kingsport costs noticeably less than Detroit, every month.
a quick ledger.
$1,383/mo
6% cheaper than Detroit(vs $1,472/mo)
0%
$354/mo less in state tax than Detroit
vs 4.25% in Detroit
$6,950/mo
$443 more than Detroit
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$244k
7% cheaper than Detroit
vs $262k in Detroit
312k
vs 4.3M in Detroit
field notes, weather & such.
188
pleasant days a year, in kingsport.
Detroit only manages 160 of those.
But the calendar thins out: Detroit stays 11.3× busier.
59/100
26% higher than Detroit
vs 47/100 in Detroit
Closest outdoor draw: Natural Tunnel State Park, 13.9 mi.
74/100
25% lower than Detroit
vs 99/100 in Detroit
4
97% fewer than Detroit
vs 135 nonstops in Detroit
compare kingsport with:
