City comparison
Greenville, SC vs Lexington, KY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Greenville, SC (93.3) and Lexington, KY (92.9, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Greenville, SC goes as far as $99,600 in Lexington, KY.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,221 a month in Greenville, SC versus $1,079 in Lexington, KY. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Greenville, SC and 17% in Lexington, KY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,460 a year higher in Greenville, SC 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 Greenville, SC to Lexington, KY changes real buying power by +0.4%, purely from prices.
- Greenville, SC: price level 93.3 (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
| Greenville, SC | Lexington, KY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.3 | 92.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,602 in Lexington | $100,399 in Greenville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,221/mo | $1,079/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $75,798 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $3,382 (KY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,580 | $48,620 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Greenville-Mauldin-Easley, SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Lexington-Fayette, KY MSA. Metro areas: Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC and Lexington-Fayette, KY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Greenville | Lexington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.8 | 77.1 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 88.8 | 74.6 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 96.9 |
| Overall | 93.3 | 92.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Greenville, SC → Lexington, KY
Roughly even
Buying power +0.4%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,460/yr.
70 Fair offer
Lexington, KY → Greenville, SC
Roughly even
Buying power −0.4%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$1,460/yr.
68 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 Greenville, SC to Lexington, KY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Greenville, SC | Lexington, KY | Real change, Greenville → Lexington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +0.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +0.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +0.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +0.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +0.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Greenville, SC | Lexington, KY | Lexington pay in Greenville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,680 | $61,460 | $61,705 (+1.7%) |
| Software Developers | $121,790 | $123,510 | $124,003 (+1.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,870 | $77,780 | $78,091 (+1.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,400 | $79,040 | $79,356 (−2.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.