City comparison
Lexington, KY vs New York, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in New York, NY are 21.2% higher than in Lexington, KY. Someone earning $100,000 in Lexington, KY would need about $121,200 in New York, NY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,655 a month in New York, NY versus $1,079 in Lexington, KY. On $100,000, that's 43% of take-home pay in New York, NY and 17% in Lexington, KY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,477 a year higher in New York, NY than in Lexington, KY.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +17.8% moving from Lexington, KY to New York, NY ($106,437 → $125,431), while prices change by +21.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.8% in real buying power.
- Lexington, KY: price level 92.9 (cheaper)
- New York, NY: price level 112.6 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Lexington, KY | New York, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.9 | 112.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $121,180 in New York | $82,522 in Lexington |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,079/mo | $2,655/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,798 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,382 (KY) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 43% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,620 | $61,430 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Lexington-Fayette, KY MSA and New York, NY HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Lexington-Fayette, KY and New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lexington | New York |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 77.1 | 148.6 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 110.3 |
| Utilities | 74.6 | 127.0 |
| Other services | 96.9 | 105.8 |
| Overall | 92.9 | 112.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lexington, KY → New York, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −17.5%; rent takes 43% of take-home; state tax +$1,477/yr.
11 Weak offer
New York, NY → Lexington, KY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +21.2%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,477/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Lexington, KY is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; New York, NY is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Lexington, KY to New York, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lexington, KY | New York, NY | Real change, Lexington → New York |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $72,737 | −2.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $88,005 | −2.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $105,481 | −2.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $125,431 | −2.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $148,222 | −2.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lexington, KY | New York, NY | New York pay in Lexington dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,460 | $96,900 | $79,964 (+30.1%) |
| Software Developers | $123,510 | $166,830 | $137,671 (+11.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,780 | $105,650 | $87,184 (+12.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,040 | $119,720 | $98,795 (+25.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.