City comparison
College Station, TX vs Louisville, KY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Louisville, KY are 2.3% higher than in College Station, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in College Station, TX would need about $102,300 in Louisville, KY to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,082 a month in College Station, TX and $1,047 in Louisville, KY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,382 a year higher in Louisville, KY than in College Station, TX.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from College Station, TX to Louisville, KY changes real buying power by −2.3%, purely from prices.
- College Station, TX: price level 91.0 (much cheaper)
- Louisville, KY: price level 93.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| College Station, TX | Louisville, KY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.0 | 93.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,334 in Louisville | $97,719 in College Station |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,082/mo | $1,047/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,798 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $3,382 (KY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,470 | $48,370 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: College Station-Bryan, TX MSA and Louisville, KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: College Station-Bryan, TX and Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | College Station | Louisville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 75.1 | 78.6 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 84.4 | 75.0 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 96.8 |
| Overall | 91.0 | 93.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
College Station, TX → Louisville, KY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.3%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$3,382/yr.
62 Fair offer
Louisville, KY → College Station, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.3%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$3,382/yr.
76 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from College Station, TX to Louisville, KY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | College Station, TX | Louisville, KY | Real change, College Station → Louisville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −2.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −2.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −2.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −2.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −2.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | College Station, TX | Louisville, KY | Louisville pay in College Station dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $57,870 | $61,610 | $60,205 (+4.0%) |
| Software Developers | $101,910 | $110,270 | $107,755 (+5.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $71,810 | $76,320 | $74,579 (+3.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,090 | $84,850 | $82,915 (−0.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.