City comparison
Lancaster, PA vs Lexington, KY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Lancaster, PA are 5.8% higher than in Lexington, KY. Someone earning $100,000 in Lexington, KY would need about $105,800 in Lancaster, PA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,220 a month in Lancaster, PA versus $1,079 in Lexington, KY. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Lancaster, PA and 17% in Lexington, KY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $312 a year higher in Lexington, KY than in Lancaster, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.0% moving from Lancaster, PA to Lexington, KY ($108,592 → $106,437), while prices change by −5.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.7% in real buying power.
- Lancaster, PA: price level 98.3 (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
| Lancaster, PA | Lexington, KY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.3 | 92.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,537 in Lexington | $105,779 in Lancaster |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,220/mo | $1,079/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $75,798 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $3,382 (KY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,210 | $48,620 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Harrisburg-Lebanon, PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Lancaster, PA MSA and Lexington-Fayette, KY MSA. Metro areas: Lancaster, PA and Lexington-Fayette, KY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lancaster | Lexington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.8 | 77.1 |
| Goods | 100.7 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 107.3 | 74.6 |
| Other services | 97.7 | 96.9 |
| Overall | 98.3 | 92.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lancaster, PA → Lexington, KY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.8%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$312/yr.
87 Strong offer
Lexington, KY → Lancaster, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.5%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$312/yr.
52 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Lancaster, PA is in the Harrisburg-Lebanon, PA pay area; Lexington, KY is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Lancaster, PA to Lexington, KY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lancaster, PA | Lexington, KY | Real change, Lancaster → Lexington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,972 | $61,722 | +3.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,190 | $74,678 | +3.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,320 | $89,508 | +3.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,592 | $106,437 | +3.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,323 | $125,776 | +3.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lancaster, PA | Lexington, KY | Lexington pay in Lancaster dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,360 | $61,460 | $65,012 (−17.0%) |
| Software Developers | $104,740 | $123,510 | $130,648 (+24.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,110 | $77,780 | $82,275 (+8.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $89,620 | $79,040 | $83,608 (−6.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.