on $100k a year, leaving Salem
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 Salem, every month
In Kingsport, rent stops being the headline. The cost gap shows up every month without you trying.
a quick ledger.
$1,383/mo
16% cheaper than Salem(vs $1,642/mo)
0%
$729/mo less in state tax than Salem
vs 8.75% in Salem
$6,950/mo
$988 more than Salem
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$244k
46% cheaper than Salem
vs $452k in Salem
312k
vs 437k in Salem
field notes, weather & such.
188
pleasant days a year, in kingsport.
Salem has the edge here, logging 201 pleasant days a year.
A month here packs 8.0× the events of Salem.
59/100
14% lower than Salem
vs 69/100 in Salem
Closest outdoor draw: Natural Tunnel State Park, 13.9 mi.
74/100
16% lower than Salem
vs 88/100 in Salem
4
0% fewer than Salem
vs 0 nonstops in Salem
compare kingsport with:
