City comparison
Houston, TX vs Lexington, KY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Houston, TX are 6.2% higher than in Lexington, KY. Someone earning $100,000 in Lexington, KY would need about $106,200 in Houston, TX to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,323 a month in Houston, TX versus $1,079 in Lexington, KY. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Houston, TX and 17% in Lexington, KY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,382 a year higher in Lexington, KY than in Houston, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −13.3% moving from Houston, TX to Lexington, KY ($122,749 → $106,437), while prices change by −5.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −7.9% in real buying power.
- Houston, TX: price level 98.6 (about average)
- 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
| Houston, TX | Lexington, KY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.6 | 92.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,180 in Lexington | $106,179 in Houston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,323/mo | $1,079/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,798 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $3,382 (KY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,410 | $48,620 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Houston-The Woodlands, TX | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX HUD Metro FMR Area and Lexington-Fayette, KY MSA. Metro areas: Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX and Lexington-Fayette, KY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Houston | Lexington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 104.5 | 77.1 |
| Goods | 100.6 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 95.3 | 74.6 |
| Other services | 95.6 | 96.9 |
| Overall | 98.6 | 92.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Houston, TX → Lexington, KY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.2%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$3,382/yr.
88 Strong offer
Lexington, KY → Houston, TX
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.8%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$3,382/yr.
51 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Houston, TX is in the Houston-The Woodlands, TX pay area; Lexington, KY is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Houston, TX to Lexington, KY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Houston, TX | Lexington, KY | Real change, Houston → Lexington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $71,181 | $61,722 | −7.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $86,123 | $74,678 | −7.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $103,225 | $89,508 | −7.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $122,749 | $106,437 | −7.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $145,052 | $125,776 | −7.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Houston, TX | Lexington, KY | Lexington pay in Houston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,500 | $61,460 | $65,258 (+1.2%) |
| Software Developers | $129,440 | $123,510 | $131,142 (+1.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,090 | $77,780 | $82,586 (−2.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,830 | $79,040 | $83,924 (−15.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.