Kingsport-Bristol Mankato

Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources

Should you move?

Moving from Kingsport-Bristol to Mankato is less favorable: BEA regional price parity goes from 86.4 to 91.0 (US = 100), and HUD 2-bedroom rent rises by $127/mo.

+$12,480
BLS median salary higher in Mankato
602 to 259
violent crimes per 100K (FBI UCR, state-level)
15.3:1 to 15.8:1
NCES student-teacher ratio
$3,862
DOL infant care higher / yr in Mankato

BEA Regional Price Parity, HUD Fair Market Rent, BLS OEWS, FBI UCR, NCES, and DOL. The table below lets you override the composite with your own priorities.

Verdict
Less Favorable
Cost Index: 86.4 → 91.0
Rent Delta: +$127/mo

Pros of Moving

  • + $12K higher median salary
  • + Lower violent crime rate

Cons of Moving

  • - 5% higher cost of living
  • - $127/mo more expensive rent (2BR)
  • - More expensive childcare

Purchasing power tightens: BEA RPP rises from 86.4 to 91.0, so the same paycheck buys less in Mankato (ratio 1.05). HUD 2BR Fair Market Rent rises $127/mo ($1,524/yr) from $1,044 in Kingsport-Bristol to $1,171 in Mankato.

The seven-dimension ledger splits (3 destination wins · 4 origin wins); priorities decide this move. Mankato sits #93 of 387 metros on PlainRelocate livability (top third of the corpus). Kingsport-Bristol is #96/387 on the same ranking. Composite verdict: Less Favorable. Override it with the dimension table below.

BLS OEWS median salary moves $12,480 higher ($57,656 → $70,136). Labor-market size: 111,690 tracked jobs at origin vs 48,900 at destination.

State retirement friendliness favors staying put: Tennessee scores 66 (C, #17/51) vs Minnesota at 49 (F, #43/51). Full state tax and healthcare sub-scores sit in the retirement desk below.

Dimension
Kingsport-Bristol
Mankato
Winner
Cost of Living
RPP 86.4
RPP 91.0
Kingsport-Bristol
Rent (2BR)
$1,044/mo
$1,171/mo
Kingsport-Bristol
Wages
$57,656
$70,136
Mankato
Crime
602 per 100K
259 per 100K
Mankato
Schools
15.3:1
15.8:1
Kingsport-Bristol
Childcare
$7,860/yr
$11,722/yr
Kingsport-Bristol
Environment
1192 violations
1033 violations
Mankato

State retirement friendliness

Primary-state scores from PlainRelocate's retirement registry (tax + healthcare + climate composite). Metro pairs use each metro's primary state abbreviation.

Origin state · Tennessee
66 C #17/51
Income tax
100
Property tax
80
Estate tax
100
Healthcare
36
Destination state · Minnesota
49 F #43/51
Income tax
60
Property tax
62
Estate tax
50
Healthcare
34

Full retirement ranking · Source composite documented on methodology (Tax Foundation + AARP tax guides + federal healthcare/climate inputs).

Salary Adjustment Calculator

Enter your current salary in Kingsport-Bristol to see what you'd need to earn in Mankato to maintain the same purchasing power.

Equivalent salary in Mankato
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Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents, BLS OES, FBI UCR, NCES, DOL, EPA; retirement desk: Tax Foundation + AARP tax guides June 2026