City comparison
Lexington, KY vs Lincoln, NE
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Lexington, KY are 1.4% higher than in Lincoln, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Lincoln, NE would need about $101,400 in Lexington, KY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,079 a month in Lexington, KY versus $926 in Lincoln, NE. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Lexington, KY and 15% in Lincoln, NE.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $288 a year higher in Lincoln, NE 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 Lexington, KY to Lincoln, NE changes real buying power by +1.4%, purely from prices.
- Lexington, KY: price level 92.9 (cheaper)
- Lincoln, NE: price level 91.6 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Lexington, KY | Lincoln, NE | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.9 | 91.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,592 in Lincoln | $101,428 in Lexington |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,079/mo | $926/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,798 | $75,510 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,382 (KY) | $3,670 (NE) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,620 | $49,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Lexington-Fayette, KY MSA and Lincoln, NE HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Lexington-Fayette, KY and Lincoln, NE.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lexington | Lincoln |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 77.1 | 84.2 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 74.6 | 76.8 |
| Other services | 96.9 | 93.0 |
| Overall | 92.9 | 91.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lexington, KY → Lincoln, NE
Roughly even
Buying power +1.4%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$288/yr.
73 Strong offer
Lincoln, NE → Lexington, KY
Roughly even
Buying power −1.4%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$288/yr.
64 Fair offer
Federal employees: GS pay
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 Lexington, KY to Lincoln, NE at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lexington, KY | Lincoln, NE | Real change, Lexington → Lincoln |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +1.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +1.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +1.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +1.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +1.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lexington, KY | Lincoln, NE | Lincoln pay in Lexington dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $102,190 | $78,190 | $79,307 (−22.4%) |
| Software Developers | $123,510 | $101,690 | $103,142 (−16.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,780 | $65,170 | $66,101 (−15.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,040 | $87,530 | $88,780 (+12.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.