City comparison
Lexington, KY vs Pittsburgh, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Pittsburgh, PA are 1.9% higher than in Lexington, KY. Someone earning $100,000 in Lexington, KY would need about $101,900 in Pittsburgh, PA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,079 a month in Lexington, KY and $1,077 in Pittsburgh, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $312 a year higher in Lexington, KY than in Pittsburgh, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.4% moving from Lexington, KY to Pittsburgh, PA ($106,437 → $110,047), while prices change by +1.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.4% in real buying power.
- Lexington, KY: price level 92.9 (cheaper)
- Pittsburgh, PA: price level 94.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Lexington, KY | Pittsburgh, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.9 | 94.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,918 in Pittsburgh | $98,118 in Lexington |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,079/mo | $1,077/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% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,620 | $49,650 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV |
Rent areas: Lexington-Fayette, KY MSA and Pittsburgh, PA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Lexington-Fayette, KY and Pittsburgh, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lexington | Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 77.1 | 72.0 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 74.6 | 107.7 |
| Other services | 96.9 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 92.9 | 94.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lexington, KY → Pittsburgh, PA
Roughly even
Buying power −1.9%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$312/yr.
63 Fair offer
Pittsburgh, PA → Lexington, KY
Roughly even
Buying power +1.9%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$312/yr.
75 Strong offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Lexington, KY is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Pittsburgh, PA is in Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV. The last column shows what a transfer from Lexington, KY to Pittsburgh, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lexington, KY | Pittsburgh, PA | Real change, Lexington → Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $63,815 | +1.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $77,211 | +1.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $92,543 | +1.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $110,047 | +1.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $130,042 | +1.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lexington, KY | Pittsburgh, PA | Pittsburgh pay in Lexington dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $102,190 | $103,630 | $101,679 (−0.5%) |
| Software Developers | $123,510 | $124,500 | $122,157 (−1.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,780 | $76,940 | $75,492 (−2.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,040 | $82,370 | $80,820 (+2.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.