Performance
Score Breakdown
Kingsport
Nashville
Livability
Affordability
Business
Growth
Expenses
Cost of Living
Kingsport is the more affordable option overall — monthly living expenses run approximately
57% lower compared to Nashville.
Housing costs are a major driver: Kingsport's average rent is
36% lower than Nashville's.
| Metric | Kingsport | Nashville | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Rent | $1,400 | $2,200 | -36% |
| Groceries | $0 | $300 | -100% |
| Utilities | $0 | $200 | -100% |
| Transport | $0 | $400 | -100% |
| Healthcare | $0 | $135 | -100% |
| Monthly Total | $1,400 | $3,235 | -57% |
| Cost Index | 98 | out of 100 |
Income
Salary & Income
Nashville offers 100% lower average salaries.
| Metric | Kingsport | Nashville |
|---|---|---|
| Average Salary | $0 | $77,000 |
| Salary Needed | $0 | $76,000 |
| Household Income | $52,490 | $77,371 |
Weather
Climate Comparison
Both cities share a similar average temperature, within 0°F of each other.
| Metric | Kingsport | Nashville |
|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | °F | °F |
| Summer High | °F | °F |
| Winter Low | °F | °F |
| Rainfall | in | in |
| Snowfall | in | in |
| Sunny Days | ||
| Humidity | 72.00% | 70.00% |
Mobility
Commute & Transport
Kingsport has the shorter commute — saving residents roughly
4,500 minutes (75 hours) per year compared to Nashville.
Nashville scores higher for public transit, making it the better choice for car-free living.
For walkability, Nashville leads — a better score here means more amenities reachable on foot.
| Metric | Kingsport | Nashville |
|---|---|---|
| Commute Time | 19 min | 28 min |
| Transit Score | 0.0/10 | 13.0/10 |
| Walkability | 0.0/10 | 29.0/10 |
| Traffic Index | 38.00 | |
| Car Dependency | High | High |
Population
Economy & Demographics
Nashville is the larger city
— approximately 0.1x the population of Kingsport.
From a growth perspective, Kingsport is expanding faster, signaling stronger demand for housing, jobs, and services.
On the employment side, Nashville has a lower unemployment rate, reflecting a tighter and more competitive job market.
| Metric | Kingsport | Nashville |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 57,479 | 704,963 |
| Pop. Growth | 1.10% | 0.76% |
| Median Age | 43.0 | 34.5 |
| Unemployment | 3.30% | 2.70% |
| GDP | $0.0B | $204.9B |
At a Glance
Pros & Cons
Kingsport
Advantages
The overall crime rate in Kingsport is 46% below the national average as of July 2026.
Kingsport's cost of living is significantly lower than the national average.
The average commute time in Kingsport is 19.1 minutes, shorter than the national average.
Kingsport City Schools are highly rated and offer an academically progressive educational platform.
The city offers abundant parks and recreational opportunities, contributing to a high quality of life.
Drawbacks
Kingsport's job growth, while positive, is heavily reliant on a few sectors like healthcare, which could pose challenges if those sectors slow down nationally.
Despite overall safety, some areas of Kingsport have higher crime rates than others.
The city's unemployment rate is 5.3%, which is higher than the national average.
Kingsport has a notable poverty rate, with 15.7% of families living in poverty.
Public transit services, while available, are not as highly rated as ease of travel by car.
Nashville
Advantages
Nashville boasts a strong job market with a low unemployment rate of 2.7% as of May 2026, well below the national average.
The city's economy is highly diversified, with significant growth in healthcare, technology, and entertainment sectors.
Nashville is recognized as a fast-growing startup scene globally, with a strong entrepreneurial climate and a growth score of 68.2.
The city experiences significant population growth, with a projected annual rate of 0.76% for 2026, indicating continued dynamism.
Tourism is a major economic driver, generating substantial revenue and supporting numerous jobs in the leisure and hospitality industry [cite: 10, 38 in previous search].
Drawbacks
Nashville experiences significant traffic congestion, ranking as the 11th worst in the U.S. in 2024, leading to an average of 63 hours lost in traffic annually per driver.
Housing affordability remains a concern, with the average rent at $2,200 per month and median home prices around $475,000, which can be challenging for residents.
The city has low walkability and transit scores (29 and 13 respectively), indicating a high dependency on cars for daily commuting.
Nashville's overall crime rate is higher than the national average, although violent crime is often concentrated in specific areas.
While the city is a healthcare hub, specific quality rankings for healthcare were not readily available, and some healthcare hiring has cooled in the metro area [cite: 7 in previous search].
Explore
Dive Deeper
Key figures side by side — see which city wins each category at a glance.
Kingsport
#66Tennessee, USA
69.0 / 100 overall
Avg Rent
$1,400
Avg Salary
$0
Cost Index
Commute
19 min
Transit Score
0.0/10
Walkability
0.0/10
Sunny Days
/yr
Avg Temp
°F
Pop. Growth
1.10%
Unemployment
3.30%
Livability
69
Business
0
Nashville
#21Tennessee, USA
73.0 / 100 overall
Avg Rent
$2,200
Avg Salary
$77,000
Cost Index
98
Commute
28 min
Transit Score
13.0/10
Walkability
29.0/10
Sunny Days
/yr
Avg Temp
°F
Pop. Growth
0.76%
Unemployment
2.70%
Livability
70
Business
78
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