City comparison
Chicago, IL vs Lexington, KY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Chicago, IL are 11.5% higher than in Lexington, KY. Someone earning $100,000 in Lexington, KY would need about $111,500 in Chicago, IL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,581 a month in Chicago, IL versus $1,079 in Lexington, KY. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Chicago, IL and 17% in Lexington, KY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,423 a year higher in Chicago, IL than in Lexington, KY.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.5% moving from Chicago, IL to Lexington, KY ($118,984 → $106,437), while prices change by −10.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.2% in real buying power.
- Chicago, IL: price level 103.6 (pricier)
- 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
| Chicago, IL | Lexington, KY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.6 | 92.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $89,666 in Lexington | $111,526 in Chicago |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,581/mo | $1,079/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,375 | $75,798 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,805 (IL) | $3,382 (KY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 26% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $54,720 | $48,620 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL HUD Metro FMR Area and Lexington-Fayette, KY MSA. Metro areas: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN and Lexington-Fayette, KY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Chicago | Lexington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 112.0 | 77.1 |
| Goods | 107.3 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 83.6 | 74.6 |
| Other services | 100.5 | 96.9 |
| Overall | 103.6 | 92.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Chicago, IL → Lexington, KY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.5%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,423/yr.
100 Strong offer
Lexington, KY → Chicago, IL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.3%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$1,423/yr.
37 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Chicago, IL is in the Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI pay area; Lexington, KY is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Chicago, IL to Lexington, KY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Chicago, IL | Lexington, KY | Real change, Chicago → Lexington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,999 | $61,722 | −0.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,482 | $74,678 | −0.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,059 | $89,508 | −0.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,984 | $106,437 | −0.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,604 | $125,776 | −0.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Chicago, IL | Lexington, KY | Lexington pay in Chicago dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,390 | $61,460 | $68,544 (−12.6%) |
| Software Developers | $134,380 | $123,510 | $137,745 (+2.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,360 | $77,780 | $86,745 (+5.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,490 | $79,040 | $88,150 (−12.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.