City comparison
Denver, CO vs Louisville, KY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Denver, CO are 13.7% higher than in Louisville, KY. Someone earning $100,000 in Louisville, KY would need about $113,700 in Denver, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,754 a month in Denver, CO versus $1,047 in Louisville, KY. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Denver, CO and 17% in Louisville, KY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $309 a year higher in Denver, CO than in Louisville, KY.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.3% moving from Denver, CO to Louisville, KY ($118,675 → $106,437), while prices change by −12.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.9% in real buying power.
- Denver, CO: price level 105.8 (pricier)
- Louisville, KY: price level 93.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Denver, CO | Louisville, KY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.8 | 93.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $87,987 in Louisville | $113,654 in Denver |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,754/mo | $1,047/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $75,798 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $3,382 (KY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 28% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $62,320 | $48,370 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO MSA and Louisville, KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO and Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Denver | Louisville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 146.9 | 78.6 |
| Goods | 101.0 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 87.9 | 75.0 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 96.8 |
| Overall | 105.8 | 93.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Denver, CO → Louisville, KY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +13.7%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$309/yr.
100 Strong offer
Louisville, KY → Denver, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.0%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$309/yr.
33 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Denver, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Louisville, KY is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Denver, CO to Louisville, KY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Denver, CO | Louisville, KY | Real change, Denver → Louisville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $61,722 | +1.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $74,678 | +1.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $89,508 | +1.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $106,437 | +1.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $125,776 | +1.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Denver, CO | Louisville, KY | Louisville pay in Denver dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,910 | $61,610 | $70,022 (−9.0%) |
| Software Developers | $137,610 | $110,270 | $125,326 (−8.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $100,020 | $76,320 | $86,740 (−13.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,130 | $84,850 | $96,435 (−4.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.