City comparison
Birmingham, AL vs Lexington, KY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Lexington, KY are 1.4% higher than in Birmingham, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Birmingham, AL would need about $101,400 in Lexington, KY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,155 a month in Birmingham, AL versus $1,079 in Lexington, KY. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Birmingham, AL and 17% in Lexington, KY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,353 a year higher in Birmingham, AL than in Lexington, KY.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.0% moving from Birmingham, AL to Lexington, KY ($107,510 → $106,437), while prices change by +1.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.3% in real buying power.
- Birmingham, AL: price level 91.6 (much cheaper)
- 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
| Birmingham, AL | Lexington, KY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.6 | 92.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,359 in Lexington | $98,660 in Birmingham |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,155/mo | $1,079/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,445 | $75,798 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,735 (AL) | $3,382 (KY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,770 | $48,620 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Birmingham-Hoover, AL HUD Metro FMR Area and Lexington-Fayette, KY MSA. Metro areas: Birmingham, AL and Lexington-Fayette, KY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Birmingham | Lexington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 71.9 | 77.1 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 83.8 | 74.6 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 96.9 |
| Overall | 91.6 | 92.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Birmingham, AL → Lexington, KY
Roughly even
Buying power −1.3%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,353/yr.
65 Fair offer
Lexington, KY → Birmingham, AL
Roughly even
Buying power +1.4%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$1,353/yr.
73 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Birmingham, AL is in the Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL pay area; Lexington, KY is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Birmingham, AL to Lexington, KY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Birmingham, AL | Lexington, KY | Real change, Birmingham → Lexington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,344 | $61,722 | −2.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,431 | $74,678 | −2.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,410 | $89,508 | −2.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,510 | $106,437 | −2.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,044 | $125,776 | −2.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Birmingham, AL | Lexington, KY | Lexington pay in Birmingham dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,630 | $61,460 | $60,636 (−3.2%) |
| Software Developers | $125,410 | $123,510 | $121,855 (−2.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,660 | $77,780 | $76,738 (−2.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $78,680 | $79,040 | $77,981 (−0.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.