City comparison
Atlantic City, NJ vs Lexington, KY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Atlantic City, NJ are 6.4% higher than in Lexington, KY. Someone earning $100,000 in Lexington, KY would need about $106,400 in Atlantic City, NJ to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,537 a month in Atlantic City, NJ versus $1,079 in Lexington, KY. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Atlantic City, NJ and 17% in Lexington, KY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $798 a year higher in Atlantic City, NJ than in Lexington, KY.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.2% moving from Atlantic City, NJ to Lexington, KY ($117,284 → $106,437), while prices change by −6.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.4% in real buying power.
- Atlantic City, NJ: price level 98.9 (about average)
- Lexington, KY: price level 92.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Atlantic City, NJ | Lexington, KY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.9 | 92.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,963 in Lexington | $106,425 in Atlantic City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,537/mo | $1,079/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,000 | $75,798 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,180 (NJ) | $3,382 (KY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,520 | $48,620 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ HUD Metro FMR Area and Lexington-Fayette, KY MSA. Metro areas: Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ and Lexington-Fayette, KY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Atlantic City | Lexington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.7 | 77.1 |
| Goods | 99.8 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 109.2 | 74.6 |
| Other services | 97.9 | 96.9 |
| Overall | 98.9 | 92.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Atlantic City, NJ → Lexington, KY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.4%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$798/yr.
89 Strong offer
Lexington, KY → Atlantic City, NJ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.0%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$798/yr.
50 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Atlantic City, NJ is in the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD pay area; Lexington, KY is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Atlantic City, NJ to Lexington, KY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Atlantic City, NJ | Lexington, KY | Real change, Atlantic City → Lexington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,013 | $61,722 | −3.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,289 | $74,678 | −3.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,630 | $89,508 | −3.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,284 | $106,437 | −3.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,595 | $125,776 | −3.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Atlantic City, NJ | Lexington, KY | Lexington pay in Atlantic City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,480 | $61,460 | $65,409 (−18.7%) |
| Software Developers | $126,670 | $123,510 | $131,445 (+3.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,040 | $77,780 | $82,777 (−0.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,320 | $79,040 | $84,118 (−15.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.