City comparison
Gulfport, MS vs Lexington, KY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Lexington, KY are 3.2% higher than in Gulfport, MS. Someone earning $100,000 in Gulfport, MS would need about $103,200 in Lexington, KY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,079 a month in Lexington, KY versus $923 in Gulfport, MS. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Lexington, KY and 15% in Gulfport, MS.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,268 a year in MS and $3,382 in KY.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Gulfport, MS to Lexington, KY changes real buying power by −3.1%, purely from prices.
- Gulfport, MS: price level 90.0 (much 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
| Gulfport, MS | Lexington, KY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.0 | 92.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,203 in Lexington | $96,896 in Gulfport |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $923/mo | $1,079/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,912 | $75,798 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,268 (MS) | $3,382 (KY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $43,470 | $48,620 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Gulfport-Biloxi, MS HUD Metro FMR Area and Lexington-Fayette, KY MSA. Metro areas: Gulfport-Biloxi, MS and Lexington-Fayette, KY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Gulfport | Lexington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 67.9 | 77.1 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 76.3 | 74.6 |
| Other services | 96.1 | 96.9 |
| Overall | 90.0 | 92.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Gulfport, MS → Lexington, KY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.1%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$114/yr.
59 Fair offer
Lexington, KY → Gulfport, MS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.2%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$114/yr.
79 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Gulfport, MS to Lexington, KY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Gulfport, MS | Lexington, KY | Real change, Gulfport → Lexington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −3.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −3.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −3.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −3.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −3.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Gulfport, MS | Lexington, KY | Lexington pay in Gulfport dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,820 | $61,460 | $59,552 (+17.2%) |
| Software Developers | $104,240 | $123,510 | $119,677 (+14.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,380 | $77,780 | $75,366 (−1.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $78,960 | $79,040 | $76,587 (−3.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.