City comparison
Bakersfield, CA vs Lexington, KY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Bakersfield, CA are 8.6% higher than in Lexington, KY. Someone earning $100,000 in Lexington, KY would need about $108,600 in Bakersfield, CA to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,140 a month in Bakersfield, CA versus $1,079 in Lexington, KY. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Bakersfield, CA and 17% in Lexington, KY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,688 a year higher in Bakersfield, CA than in Lexington, KY.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −14.2% moving from Bakersfield, CA to Lexington, KY ($124,085 → $106,437), while prices change by −7.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −6.8% in real buying power.
- Bakersfield, CA: price level 100.9 (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
| Bakersfield, CA | Lexington, KY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.9 | 92.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,073 in Lexington | $108,609 in Bakersfield |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,140/mo | $1,079/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $75,798 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $3,382 (KY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,470 | $48,620 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Bakersfield-Delano, CA MSA and Lexington-Fayette, KY MSA. Metro areas: Bakersfield-Delano, CA and Lexington-Fayette, KY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Bakersfield | Lexington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 90.3 | 77.1 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 158.3 | 74.6 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 96.9 |
| Overall | 100.9 | 92.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Bakersfield, CA → Lexington, KY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.6%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,688/yr.
96 Strong offer
Lexington, KY → Bakersfield, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.9%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,688/yr.
44 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Bakersfield, CA is in the Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA pay area; Lexington, KY is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Bakersfield, CA to Lexington, KY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Bakersfield, CA | Lexington, KY | Real change, Bakersfield → Lexington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $71,957 | $61,722 | −6.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $87,061 | $74,678 | −6.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $104,349 | $89,508 | −6.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $124,085 | $106,437 | −6.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $146,632 | $125,776 | −6.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Bakersfield, CA | Lexington, KY | Lexington pay in Bakersfield dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,900 | $61,460 | $66,751 (−16.5%) |
| Software Developers | $130,330 | $123,510 | $134,143 (+2.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,620 | $77,780 | $84,476 (+6.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $128,810 | $79,040 | $85,845 (−33.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.