City comparison
Flint, MI vs Lexington, KY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Flint, MI (93.0) and Lexington, KY (92.9, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Flint, MI goes as far as $99,800 in Lexington, KY.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,079 a month in Lexington, KY versus $856 in Flint, MI. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Lexington, KY and 14% in Flint, MI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $617 a year higher in Flint, MI than in Lexington, KY.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.3% moving from Flint, MI to Lexington, KY ($117,402 → $106,437), while prices change by −0.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −9.2% in real buying power.
- Flint, MI: price level 93.0 (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
| Flint, MI | Lexington, KY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.0 | 92.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,844 in Lexington | $100,156 in Flint |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $856/mo | $1,079/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $75,798 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $3,382 (KY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,880 | $48,620 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Flint, MI MSA and Lexington-Fayette, KY MSA. Metro areas: Flint, MI and Lexington-Fayette, KY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Flint | Lexington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 74.0 | 77.1 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 97.1 | 74.6 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 96.9 |
| Overall | 93.0 | 92.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Flint, MI → Lexington, KY
Roughly even
Buying power +0.2%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$617/yr.
69 Fair offer
Lexington, KY → Flint, MI
Roughly even
Buying power −0.2%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$617/yr.
68 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Flint, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Lexington, KY is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Flint, MI to Lexington, KY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Flint, MI | Lexington, KY | Real change, Flint → Lexington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $61,722 | −9.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $74,678 | −9.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $89,508 | −9.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $106,437 | −9.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $125,776 | −9.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Flint, MI | Lexington, KY | Lexington pay in Flint dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $65,620 | $61,460 | $61,556 (−6.2%) |
| Software Developers | $101,750 | $123,510 | $123,703 (+21.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $74,500 | $77,780 | $77,901 (+4.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,780 | $79,040 | $79,163 (−19.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.