Uprootmap
Hickory vs Kingsport
Hickory and Kingsport
Photo: Tjntri / Wikimedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
Assumed income $83,730, same in both cities. Example, until you change it.
Other cities
So you know: homicide deaths in Kingsport are under the US rate in this release, 4.5 versus 6.5 per 100,000. CDC via County Health Rankings, CDC NVSS 2017–2023 (CHR 2025 release).
Why people look at Hickory to Kingsport
IRS migration on this site does not list a filed flow from Hickory to Kingsport above the cutoff in 2022-2023.
A one-bedroom asking rent is about $1,142 in Hickory and $932 in Kingsport. Hickory has a state tax on wages. Kingsport has no state tax on wages. Local pay in Kingsport is 85% of the national level for the same work, against 87% in Hickory.
Kingsport averages 205 sunny days, with July highs around 87°F and January nights around 30°F. Hickory is 223 sunny days, 90°F in July, 33°F in January. Commutes average 23 minutes in Kingsport and 24 in Hickory.
These figures are projections built from available public data. Conditions change, and the numbers may not reflect current prices, taxes, or immigration rules. Check official sources before you make decisions.
Who already made this move
The IRS did not publish a large enough Hickory → Kingsport pair for 2022-2023. That usually means fewer than a few dozen tax returns, not that nobody moved.
Source: IRS SOI county-to-county migration. Not a moving company; not a recommendation.
The monthly number is take-home pay minus rent and the other bills. The gap between Hickory and Kingsport changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this.
What the move itself costs
About 93 road miles, 1 bedroom. Typical ranges, not quotes.
- Full-service mover
- $1,600–$3,050
- Container or pod
- $1,100–$2,050
- Rent a truck
- $400–$750
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Dig into Kingsport
Questions
Is Kingsport cheaper than Hickory after tax and rent?
Yes. Kingsport leaves about $548 more a month, so the cost of living is lower there for this household. A one-bedroom is about $1,142 in Hickory and $932 in Kingsport.
Does Kingsport have state income tax?
Kingsport is in Tennessee, which has no state income tax.
Did people actually move from Hickory to Kingsport?
Yes, when the IRS published that flow. The count and their average income are on this page. Leftover prices the same household in both cities.