City comparison
Lexington, KY vs Philadelphia, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Philadelphia, PA are 10.4% higher than in Lexington, KY. Someone earning $100,000 in Lexington, KY would need about $110,400 in Philadelphia, PA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,520 a month in Philadelphia, PA versus $1,079 in Lexington, KY. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Philadelphia, PA and 17% in Lexington, KY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $312 a year higher in Lexington, KY than in Philadelphia, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +10.2% moving from Lexington, KY to Philadelphia, PA ($106,437 → $117,284), while prices change by +10.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.2% in real buying power.
- Lexington, KY: price level 92.9 (cheaper)
- Philadelphia, PA: price level 102.6 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Lexington, KY | Philadelphia, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.9 | 102.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $110,405 in Philadelphia | $90,576 in Lexington |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,079/mo | $1,520/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,798 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,382 (KY) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,620 | $54,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD |
Rent areas: Lexington-Fayette, KY MSA and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD MSA. Metro areas: Lexington-Fayette, KY and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lexington | Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 77.1 | 113.1 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 74.6 | 114.4 |
| Other services | 96.9 | 103.1 |
| Overall | 92.9 | 102.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lexington, KY → Philadelphia, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.4%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$312/yr.
39 Weak offer
Philadelphia, PA → Lexington, KY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.4%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$312/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Lexington, KY is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Philadelphia, PA is in Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD. The last column shows what a transfer from Lexington, KY to Philadelphia, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lexington, KY | Philadelphia, PA | Real change, Lexington → Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $68,013 | −0.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $82,289 | −0.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $98,630 | −0.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $117,284 | −0.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $138,595 | −0.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lexington, KY | Philadelphia, PA | Philadelphia pay in Lexington dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,460 | $78,570 | $71,165 (+15.8%) |
| Software Developers | $123,510 | $133,040 | $120,502 (−2.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,780 | $85,990 | $77,886 (+0.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,040 | $101,180 | $91,644 (+15.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.