City comparison
Cleveland, OH vs Lexington, KY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Cleveland, OH are 1.1% higher than in Lexington, KY. Someone earning $100,000 in Lexington, KY would need about $101,100 in Cleveland, OH to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,058 a month in Cleveland, OH and $1,079 in Lexington, KY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,415 a year higher in Lexington, KY than in Cleveland, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Cleveland, OH to Lexington, KY ($111,138 → $106,437), while prices change by −1.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.2% in real buying power.
- Cleveland, OH: price level 93.9 (cheaper)
- 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
| Cleveland, OH | Lexington, KY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.9 | 92.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,899 in Lexington | $101,113 in Cleveland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,058/mo | $1,079/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $75,798 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $3,382 (KY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,140 | $48,620 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Cleveland, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Lexington-Fayette, KY MSA. Metro areas: Cleveland, OH and Lexington-Fayette, KY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cleveland | Lexington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.4 | 77.1 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 96.0 | 74.6 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 96.9 |
| Overall | 93.9 | 92.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cleveland, OH → Lexington, KY
Roughly even
Buying power +1.1%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$1,415/yr.
72 Strong offer
Lexington, KY → Cleveland, OH
Roughly even
Buying power −1.1%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,415/yr.
65 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cleveland, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; Lexington, KY is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Cleveland, OH to Lexington, KY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cleveland, OH | Lexington, KY | Real change, Cleveland → Lexington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $61,722 | −3.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $74,678 | −3.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $89,508 | −3.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $106,437 | −3.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $125,776 | −3.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cleveland, OH | Lexington, KY | Lexington pay in Cleveland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,470 | $61,460 | $62,144 (−18.7%) |
| Software Developers | $111,310 | $123,510 | $124,885 (+12.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,000 | $77,780 | $78,646 (−1.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,940 | $79,040 | $79,920 (−4.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.