City comparison
Austin, TX vs Lexington, KY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Austin, TX are 5.6% higher than in Lexington, KY. Someone earning $100,000 in Lexington, KY would need about $105,600 in Austin, TX to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,562 a month in Austin, TX versus $1,079 in Lexington, KY. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Austin, TX and 17% in Lexington, KY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,382 a year higher in Lexington, KY than in Austin, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.7% moving from Austin, TX to Lexington, KY ($109,428 → $106,437), while prices change by −5.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.7% in real buying power.
- Austin, TX: price level 98.1 (about average)
- Lexington, KY: price level 92.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Austin, TX | Lexington, KY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.1 | 92.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,721 in Lexington | $105,573 in Austin |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,562/mo | $1,079/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,798 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $3,382 (KY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $56,950 | $48,620 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX MSA and Lexington-Fayette, KY MSA. Metro areas: Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX and Lexington-Fayette, KY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Austin | Lexington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 120.4 | 77.1 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 82.0 | 74.6 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 96.9 |
| Overall | 98.1 | 92.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Austin, TX → Lexington, KY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.6%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$3,382/yr.
86 Strong offer
Lexington, KY → Austin, TX
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.3%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$3,382/yr.
52 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Austin, TX is in the Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX pay area; Lexington, KY is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Austin, TX to Lexington, KY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Austin, TX | Lexington, KY | Real change, Austin → Lexington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,457 | $61,722 | +2.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,777 | $74,678 | +2.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,023 | $89,508 | +2.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,428 | $106,437 | +2.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $129,311 | $125,776 | +2.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Austin, TX | Lexington, KY | Lexington pay in Austin dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,270 | $61,460 | $64,885 (+5.9%) |
| Software Developers | $134,120 | $123,510 | $130,394 (−2.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,120 | $77,780 | $82,115 (−1.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,890 | $79,040 | $83,445 (−14.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.