City comparison
Lexington, KY vs Tuscaloosa, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Lexington, KY are 5.9% higher than in Tuscaloosa, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Tuscaloosa, AL would need about $105,900 in Lexington, KY to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,079 a month in Lexington, KY versus $972 in Tuscaloosa, AL. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Lexington, KY and 16% in Tuscaloosa, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,353 a year higher in Tuscaloosa, AL than in Lexington, KY.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.0% moving from Lexington, KY to Tuscaloosa, AL ($106,437 → $107,510), while prices change by −5.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.0% in real buying power.
- Lexington, KY: price level 92.9 (cheaper)
- Tuscaloosa, AL: price level 87.7 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Lexington, KY | Tuscaloosa, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.9 | 87.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,437 in Tuscaloosa | $105,890 in Lexington |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,079/mo | $972/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,798 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,382 (KY) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,620 | $45,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL |
Rent areas: Lexington-Fayette, KY MSA and Tuscaloosa, AL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Lexington-Fayette, KY and Tuscaloosa, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lexington | Tuscaloosa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 77.1 | 58.2 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 74.6 | 84.4 |
| Other services | 96.9 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 92.9 | 87.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lexington, KY → Tuscaloosa, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.9%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$1,353/yr.
87 Strong offer
Tuscaloosa, AL → Lexington, KY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.6%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,353/yr.
51 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Lexington, KY is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Tuscaloosa, AL is in Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL. The last column shows what a transfer from Lexington, KY to Tuscaloosa, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lexington, KY | Tuscaloosa, AL | Real change, Lexington → Tuscaloosa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,344 | +7.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,431 | +7.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,410 | +7.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $107,510 | +7.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $127,044 | +7.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lexington, KY | Tuscaloosa, AL | Tuscaloosa pay in Lexington dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,460 | $60,220 | $63,767 (+3.8%) |
| Software Developers | $123,510 | $104,870 | $111,047 (−10.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,780 | $71,690 | $75,913 (−2.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,040 | $75,250 | $79,682 (+0.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.