City comparison
Bridgeport, CT vs Lexington, KY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Bridgeport, CT are 15.0% higher than in Lexington, KY. Someone earning $100,000 in Lexington, KY would need about $115,000 in Bridgeport, CT to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,100 a month in Bridgeport, CT versus $1,079 in Lexington, KY. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Bridgeport, CT and 17% in Lexington, KY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $543 a year higher in Bridgeport, CT than in Lexington, KY.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −15.1% moving from Bridgeport, CT to Lexington, KY ($125,431 → $106,437), while prices change by −13.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.4% in real buying power.
- Bridgeport, CT: price level 106.9 (pricier)
- 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
| Bridgeport, CT | Lexington, KY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 106.9 | 92.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $86,923 in Lexington | $115,045 in Bridgeport |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,100/mo | $1,079/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,255 | $75,798 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,925 (CT) | $3,382 (KY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 33% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $61,470 | $48,620 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT MSA and Lexington-Fayette, KY MSA. Metro areas: Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT and Lexington-Fayette, KY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Bridgeport | Lexington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 150.5 | 77.1 |
| Goods | 97.3 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 147.1 | 74.6 |
| Other services | 102.7 | 96.9 |
| Overall | 106.9 | 92.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Bridgeport, CT → Lexington, KY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +15.0%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$543/yr.
100 Strong offer
Lexington, KY → Bridgeport, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −13.1%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax +$543/yr.
25 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Bridgeport, CT is in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA pay area; Lexington, KY is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Bridgeport, CT to Lexington, KY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Bridgeport, CT | Lexington, KY | Real change, Bridgeport → Lexington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $72,737 | $61,722 | −2.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $88,005 | $74,678 | −2.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $105,481 | $89,508 | −2.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $125,431 | $106,437 | −2.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $148,222 | $125,776 | −2.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Bridgeport, CT | Lexington, KY | Lexington pay in Bridgeport dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $98,600 | $61,460 | $70,707 (−28.3%) |
| Software Developers | $162,650 | $123,510 | $142,092 (−12.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $102,020 | $77,780 | $89,482 (−12.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $105,660 | $79,040 | $90,931 (−13.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.