City comparison
Lexington, KY vs Santa Maria, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Santa Maria, CA are 17.1% higher than in Lexington, KY. Someone earning $100,000 in Lexington, KY would need about $117,100 in Santa Maria, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,746 a month in Santa Maria, CA versus $1,079 in Lexington, KY. On $100,000, that's 44% of take-home pay in Santa Maria, CA and 17% in Lexington, KY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,688 a year higher in Santa Maria, CA than in Lexington, KY.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +16.6% moving from Lexington, KY to Santa Maria, CA ($106,437 → $124,085), while prices change by +17.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.5% in real buying power.
- Lexington, KY: price level 92.9 (cheaper)
- Santa Maria, CA: price level 108.8 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Lexington, KY | Santa Maria, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.9 | 108.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $117,127 in Santa Maria | $85,377 in Lexington |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,079/mo | $2,746/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,798 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,382 (KY) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 44% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,620 | $51,690 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA |
Rent areas: Lexington-Fayette, KY MSA and Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA MSA. Metro areas: Lexington-Fayette, KY and Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lexington | Santa Maria |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 77.1 | 151.4 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 74.6 | 149.8 |
| Other services | 96.9 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 92.9 | 108.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lexington, KY → Santa Maria, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −14.6%; rent takes 44% of take-home; state tax +$1,688/yr.
8 Weak offer
Santa Maria, CA → Lexington, KY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +17.1%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,688/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Lexington, KY is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Santa Maria, CA is in Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Lexington, KY to Santa Maria, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lexington, KY | Santa Maria, CA | Real change, Lexington → Santa Maria |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $71,957 | −0.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $87,061 | −0.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $104,349 | −0.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $124,085 | −0.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $146,632 | −0.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lexington, KY | Santa Maria, CA | Santa Maria pay in Lexington dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,460 | $101,030 | $86,257 (+40.3%) |
| Software Developers | $123,510 | $158,290 | $135,144 (+9.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,780 | $91,610 | $78,214 (+0.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,040 | $137,360 | $117,275 (+48.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.