City comparison
Charlotte, NC vs Lexington, KY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Charlotte, NC are 4.8% higher than in Lexington, KY. Someone earning $100,000 in Lexington, KY would need about $104,800 in Charlotte, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,538 a month in Charlotte, NC versus $1,079 in Lexington, KY. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Charlotte, NC and 17% in Lexington, KY.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,481 a year in NC and $3,382 in KY.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.2% moving from Charlotte, NC to Lexington, KY ($108,810 → $106,437), while prices change by −4.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.5% in real buying power.
- Charlotte, NC: price level 97.3 (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
| Charlotte, NC | Lexington, KY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.3 | 92.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,420 in Lexington | $104,800 in Charlotte |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,538/mo | $1,079/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $75,798 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $3,382 (KY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,990 | $48,620 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Lexington-Fayette, KY MSA. Metro areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC and Lexington-Fayette, KY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charlotte | Lexington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 97.6 | 77.1 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 89.2 | 74.6 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 96.9 |
| Overall | 97.3 | 92.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charlotte, NC → Lexington, KY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.8%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$99/yr.
84 Strong offer
Lexington, KY → Charlotte, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.6%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$99/yr.
54 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Charlotte, NC is in the Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC pay area; Lexington, KY is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Charlotte, NC to Lexington, KY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charlotte, NC | Lexington, KY | Real change, Charlotte → Lexington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,098 | $61,722 | +2.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,343 | $74,678 | +2.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,503 | $89,508 | +2.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,810 | $106,437 | +2.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,581 | $125,776 | +2.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charlotte, NC | Lexington, KY | Lexington pay in Charlotte dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,680 | $61,460 | $64,410 (+9.8%) |
| Software Developers | $135,920 | $123,510 | $129,439 (−4.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,910 | $77,780 | $81,514 (−12.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $90,620 | $79,040 | $82,834 (−8.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.