City comparison
El Paso, TX vs Lexington, KY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Lexington, KY are 3.3% higher than in El Paso, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in El Paso, TX would need about $103,300 in Lexington, KY to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,079 a month in Lexington, KY versus $1,013 in El Paso, TX. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Lexington, KY and 15% in El Paso, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,382 a year higher in Lexington, KY than in El Paso, 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 El Paso, TX to Lexington, KY changes real buying power by −3.2%, purely from prices.
- El Paso, TX: price level 89.9 (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
| El Paso, TX | Lexington, KY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.9 | 92.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,311 in Lexington | $96,795 in El Paso |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,013/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 | 15% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $39,510 | $48,620 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: El Paso, TX HUD Metro FMR Area and Lexington-Fayette, KY MSA. Metro areas: El Paso, TX and Lexington-Fayette, KY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | El Paso | Lexington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 71.2 | 77.1 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 82.6 | 74.6 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 96.9 |
| Overall | 89.9 | 92.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
El Paso, TX → Lexington, KY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.2%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$3,382/yr.
59 Fair offer
Lexington, KY → El Paso, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.3%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$3,382/yr.
79 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 El Paso, TX to Lexington, KY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | El Paso, TX | Lexington, KY | Real change, El Paso → Lexington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −3.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −3.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −3.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −3.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −3.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | El Paso, TX | Lexington, KY | Lexington pay in El Paso dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,800 | $61,460 | $59,490 (−6.8%) |
| Software Developers | $127,310 | $123,510 | $119,552 (−6.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,990 | $77,780 | $75,287 (+14.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $86,100 | $79,040 | $76,507 (−11.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.