City comparison
Kennewick, WA vs Lexington, KY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Kennewick, WA are 7.7% higher than in Lexington, KY. Someone earning $100,000 in Lexington, KY would need about $107,700 in Kennewick, WA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,268 a month in Kennewick, WA versus $1,079 in Lexington, KY. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Kennewick, WA and 17% in Lexington, KY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,382 a year higher in Lexington, KY than in Kennewick, WA.
- 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 Kennewick, WA to Lexington, KY changes real buying power by +7.7%, purely from prices.
- Kennewick, WA: price level 100.1 (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
| Kennewick, WA | Lexington, KY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.1 | 92.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,816 in Lexington | $107,740 in Kennewick |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,268/mo | $1,079/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,798 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (WA) | $3,382 (KY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $57,290 | $48,620 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Kennewick-Richland, WA MSA and Lexington-Fayette, KY MSA. Metro areas: Kennewick-Richland, WA and Lexington-Fayette, KY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Kennewick | Lexington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 94.8 | 77.1 |
| Goods | 105.0 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 93.6 | 74.6 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 96.9 |
| Overall | 100.1 | 92.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Kennewick, WA → Lexington, KY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.7%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$3,382/yr.
93 Strong offer
Lexington, KY → Kennewick, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.2%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,382/yr.
46 Fair 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 Kennewick, WA to Lexington, KY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Kennewick, WA | Lexington, KY | Real change, Kennewick → Lexington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +7.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +7.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +7.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +7.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +7.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Kennewick, WA | Lexington, KY | Lexington pay in Kennewick dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $100,380 | $61,460 | $66,217 (−34.0%) |
| Software Developers | $127,800 | $123,510 | $133,070 (+4.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $93,280 | $77,780 | $83,800 (−10.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $106,410 | $79,040 | $85,158 (−20.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.