Postal Service Mail Carriers Salary
The median pay for a postal service mail carriers in Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA is $59,010/year ($28.37/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $42K at the entry level to $81K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 86.45), which stretches that salary to about $68,259 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,044/month, or 25.5% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $59K get you in Kingsport-Bristol?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Kingsport-Bristol’s Regional Price Parity (86.45). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About postal service mail carriers
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What this looks like in Kingsport-Bristol
Postal service mail carriers pay in Kingsport-Bristol tracks closely to the national median, $59K locally vs. $61K nationwide, a 3% difference. Rent runs $1,044/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 25.3% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 86.45 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 14% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for postal service mail carriers in metros near Kingsport-Bristol, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $61K | $63K |
| Memphis | $59K | $64K |
| Knoxville | $59K | $64K |
| Chattanooga | $56K | $61K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA
Entry-level postal service mail carriers (10th percentile) start around $42K. Mid-career wages sit at $59K. Top earners bring in $81K or more, a $39K spread from bottom to top.
Postal Service Mail Carriers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Postal Service Mail Carriers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $64K | +6% | 930 |
| Rhode Island | $64K | +5% | 1,220 |
| Arizona | $62K | +3% | 5,300 |
| California | $62K | +3% | 32,320 |
| New York | $62K | +3% | 20,580 |
| Massachusetts | $62K | +3% | 7,630 |
| Virginia | $62K | +3% | 7,900 |
| Nevada | $62K | +3% | 2,530 |
| Illinois | $62K | +3% | 14,730 |
| Maryland | $62K | +3% | 6,420 |
| New Jersey | $61K | +1% | 10,160 |
| Connecticut | $61K | +1% | 4,510 |
| Florida | $61K | +1% | 20,810 |
| Ohio | $61K | +1% | 12,680 |
| South Dakota | $61K | +0% | 850 |
| Texas | $61K | +0% | 26,700 |
| Washington | $60K | -1% | 6,550 |
| North Carolina | $60K | -1% | 11,030 |
| Minnesota | $60K | -1% | 5,890 |
| New Hampshire | $60K | -1% | 1,560 |
| Delaware | $60K | -1% | 1,130 |
| Alaska | $60K | -1% | 450 |
| Hawaii | $60K | -1% | 1,200 |
| Indiana | $60K | -1% | 6,910 |
| Iowa | $60K | -1% | 3,730 |
| Michigan | $60K | -1% | 11,610 |
| Missouri | $60K | -1% | 7,260 |
| Nebraska | $60K | -1% | 2,150 |
| New Mexico | $60K | -1% | 1,570 |
| Oklahoma | $60K | -1% | 4,130 |
| Pennsylvania | $60K | -1% | 13,900 |
| Utah | $60K | -1% | 2,460 |
| Wisconsin | $60K | -1% | 6,470 |
| Wyoming | $60K | -1% | 430 |
| Colorado | $60K | -1% | 5,100 |
| Arkansas | $60K | -1% | 3,030 |
| Oregon | $59K | -2% | 3,760 |
| Montana | $59K | -3% | 830 |
| North Dakota | $59K | -3% | 800 |
| Maine | $59K | -3% | 1,510 |
| Vermont | $59K | -3% | 690 |
| Kentucky | $59K | -3% | 4,640 |
| Louisiana | $59K | -3% | 5,090 |
| Tennessee | $59K | -3% | 7,310 |
| Kansas | $59K | -3% | 3,310 |
| Idaho | $58K | -5% | 1,660 |
| West Virginia | $58K | -5% | 1,850 |
| Georgia | $58K | -5% | 10,790 |
| South Carolina | $58K | -5% | 5,650 |
| Alabama | $58K | -5% | 5,840 |
| Mississippi | $57K | -5% | 3,290 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track postal service mail carriers salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a postal service mail carrier afford a 2BR apartment alone in Kingsport-Bristol?
Yes — at the median salary of $59K, rent takes 25.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,044/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for postal service mail carriers in Kingsport-Bristol?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new postal service mail carriers typically earn — is $42K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,543/month. At HUD’s $1,044/month FMR, rent would take 41% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is postal service mail carrier a high-paying job in Kingsport-Bristol?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $59K locally vs. $61K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Kingsport-Bristol compare to the national average for postal service mail carriers?
Kingsport-Bristol pays $59K median vs. the U.S. average of $61K — that’s -3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 86.45), the purchasing-power equivalent is $68K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do postal service mail carriers make in Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA?
The median is $59,010 a year, that works out to about $28 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $42,390, and experienced postal service mail carriers can clear $81,040. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $59K enough to live in Kingsport-Bristol?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,121/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,044/month, which eats 25.3% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a postal service mail carriers salary go in Kingsport-Bristol?
Kingsport-Bristol has a Regional Price Parity of 86.45 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median postal service mail carriers salary is worth about $68,259 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do postal service mail carriers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.