City comparison
Grand Rapids, MI vs Lexington, KY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Grand Rapids, MI are 2.9% higher than in Lexington, KY. Someone earning $100,000 in Lexington, KY would need about $102,900 in Grand Rapids, MI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,278 a month in Grand Rapids, MI versus $1,079 in Lexington, KY. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Grand Rapids, MI and 17% in Lexington, KY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $617 a year higher in Grand Rapids, MI than in Lexington, KY.
- 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 Grand Rapids, MI to Lexington, KY changes real buying power by +2.9%, purely from prices.
- Grand Rapids, MI: price level 95.5 (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
| Grand Rapids, MI | Lexington, KY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 92.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,219 in Lexington | $102,860 in Grand Rapids |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,278/mo | $1,079/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $75,798 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $3,382 (KY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,570 | $48,620 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI HUD Metro FMR Area and Lexington-Fayette, KY MSA. Metro areas: Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI and Lexington-Fayette, KY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Grand Rapids | Lexington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.6 | 77.1 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 93.8 | 74.6 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 96.9 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 92.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Grand Rapids, MI → Lexington, KY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.9%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$617/yr.
78 Strong offer
Lexington, KY → Grand Rapids, MI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.8%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$617/yr.
60 Fair 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 Grand Rapids, MI to Lexington, KY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Grand Rapids, MI | Lexington, KY | Real change, Grand Rapids → Lexington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +2.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +2.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +2.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +2.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +2.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Grand Rapids, MI | Lexington, KY | Lexington pay in Grand Rapids dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,900 | $61,460 | $63,218 (+2.1%) |
| Software Developers | $107,520 | $123,510 | $127,043 (+18.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,270 | $77,780 | $80,005 (+4.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,920 | $79,040 | $81,301 (−3.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.