City comparison
Dallas, TX vs Lexington, KY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Dallas, TX are 11.0% higher than in Lexington, KY. Someone earning $100,000 in Lexington, KY would need about $111,000 in Dallas, TX to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,648 a month in Dallas, TX versus $1,079 in Lexington, KY. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Dallas, TX and 17% in Lexington, KY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,382 a year higher in Lexington, KY than in Dallas, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −8.0% moving from Dallas, TX to Lexington, KY ($115,711 → $106,437), while prices change by −9.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.1% in real buying power.
- Dallas, TX: price level 103.1 (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
| Dallas, TX | Lexington, KY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.1 | 92.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,105 in Lexington | $110,982 in Dallas |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,648/mo | $1,079/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 | 25% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,440 | $48,620 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Dallas-Fort Worth, TX-OK | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Dallas, TX HUD Metro FMR Area and Lexington-Fayette, KY MSA. Metro areas: Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX and Lexington-Fayette, KY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Dallas | Lexington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 117.9 | 77.1 |
| Goods | 102.8 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 90.7 | 74.6 |
| Other services | 99.7 | 96.9 |
| Overall | 103.1 | 92.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Dallas, TX → Lexington, KY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.0%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$3,382/yr.
100 Strong offer
Lexington, KY → Dallas, TX
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.9%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$3,382/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Dallas, TX is in the Dallas-Fort Worth, TX-OK pay area; Lexington, KY is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Dallas, TX to Lexington, KY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Dallas, TX | Lexington, KY | Real change, Dallas → Lexington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $67,100 | $61,722 | +2.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $81,186 | $74,678 | +2.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $97,307 | $89,508 | +2.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $115,711 | $106,437 | +2.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $136,736 | $125,776 | +2.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Dallas, TX | Lexington, KY | Lexington pay in Dallas dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $65,070 | $61,460 | $68,209 (+4.8%) |
| Software Developers | $133,290 | $123,510 | $137,074 (+2.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,620 | $77,780 | $86,322 (+4.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,420 | $79,040 | $87,720 (−13.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.