City comparison
Lexington, KY vs Sioux Falls, SD
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Lexington, KY are 2.5% higher than in Sioux Falls, SD. Someone earning $100,000 in Sioux Falls, SD would need about $102,500 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 $986 in Sioux Falls, SD. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Lexington, KY and 15% in Sioux Falls, SD.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,382 a year higher in Lexington, KY than in Sioux Falls, SD.
- 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 Sioux Falls, SD changes real buying power by +2.5%, purely from prices.
- Lexington, KY: price level 92.9 (cheaper)
- Sioux Falls, SD: price level 90.6 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Lexington, KY | Sioux Falls, SD | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.9 | 90.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,569 in Sioux Falls | $102,491 in Lexington |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,079/mo | $986/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,798 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,382 (KY) | $0 (SD) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,620 | $47,970 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Lexington-Fayette, KY MSA and Sioux Falls, SD HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Lexington-Fayette, KY and Sioux Falls, SD-MN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lexington | Sioux Falls |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 77.1 | 77.6 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 95.5 |
| Utilities | 74.6 | 80.7 |
| Other services | 96.9 | 91.9 |
| Overall | 92.9 | 90.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lexington, KY → Sioux Falls, SD
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.5%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$3,382/yr.
77 Strong offer
Sioux Falls, SD → Lexington, KY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.4%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$3,382/yr.
61 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 Sioux Falls, SD at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lexington, KY | Sioux Falls, SD | Real change, Lexington → Sioux Falls |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +2.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +2.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +2.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +2.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +2.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lexington, KY | Sioux Falls, SD | Sioux Falls pay in Lexington dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $102,190 | not published | — |
| Software Developers | $123,510 | $101,040 | $103,557 (−16.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,780 | $80,920 | $82,936 (+6.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,040 | $75,350 | $77,227 (−2.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.