City comparison
Lexington, KY vs Spokane, WA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Spokane, WA are 8.0% higher than in Lexington, KY. Someone earning $100,000 in Lexington, KY would need about $108,000 in Spokane, WA to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,193 a month in Spokane, WA versus $1,079 in Lexington, KY. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Spokane, WA and 17% in Lexington, KY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,382 a year higher in Lexington, KY than in Spokane, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.5% moving from Lexington, KY to Spokane, WA ($106,437 → $106,991), while prices change by +8.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −6.9% in real buying power.
- Lexington, KY: price level 92.9 (cheaper)
- Spokane, WA: price level 100.3 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Lexington, KY | Spokane, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.9 | 100.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $108,028 in Spokane | $92,569 in Lexington |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,079/mo | $1,193/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,798 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,382 (KY) | $0 (WA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,620 | $54,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene, WA-ID |
Rent areas: Lexington-Fayette, KY MSA and Spokane, WA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Lexington-Fayette, KY and Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lexington | Spokane |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 77.1 | 97.1 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 105.0 |
| Utilities | 74.6 | 91.2 |
| Other services | 96.9 | 99.5 |
| Overall | 92.9 | 100.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lexington, KY → Spokane, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.4%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$3,382/yr.
46 Fair offer
Spokane, WA → Lexington, KY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.0%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$3,382/yr.
94 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Lexington, KY is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Spokane, WA is in Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene, WA-ID. The last column shows what a transfer from Lexington, KY to Spokane, WA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lexington, KY | Spokane, WA | Real change, Lexington → Spokane |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,044 | −6.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,068 | −6.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,974 | −6.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,991 | −6.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $126,432 | −6.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lexington, KY | Spokane, WA | Spokane pay in Lexington dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,460 | $98,800 | $91,458 (+48.8%) |
| Software Developers | $123,510 | $130,690 | $120,978 (−2.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,780 | $86,350 | $79,933 (+2.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,040 | $111,750 | $103,446 (+30.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.