City comparison
Lexington, KY vs Lubbock, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Lexington, KY are 1.7% higher than in Lubbock, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Lubbock, TX would need about $101,700 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 $990 in Lubbock, TX. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Lexington, KY and 15% in Lubbock, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,382 a year higher in Lexington, KY than in Lubbock, TX.
- 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 Lexington, KY to Lubbock, TX changes real buying power by +1.7%, purely from prices.
- Lexington, KY: price level 92.9 (cheaper)
- Lubbock, TX: price level 91.3 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Lexington, KY | Lubbock, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.9 | 91.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,308 in Lubbock | $101,721 in Lexington |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,079/mo | $990/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,798 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,382 (KY) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,620 | $42,130 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Lexington-Fayette, KY MSA and Lubbock, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Lexington-Fayette, KY and Lubbock, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lexington | Lubbock |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 77.1 | 76.4 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 74.6 | 82.8 |
| Other services | 96.9 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 92.9 | 91.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lexington, KY → Lubbock, TX
Roughly even
Buying power +1.7%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$3,382/yr.
74 Strong offer
Lubbock, TX → Lexington, KY
Roughly even
Buying power −1.7%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$3,382/yr.
63 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 Lexington, KY to Lubbock, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lexington, KY | Lubbock, TX | Real change, Lexington → Lubbock |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +1.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +1.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +1.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +1.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +1.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lexington, KY | Lubbock, TX | Lubbock pay in Lexington dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,460 | $59,220 | $60,239 (−2.0%) |
| Software Developers | $123,510 | $115,190 | $117,173 (−5.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,780 | $74,390 | $75,671 (−2.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,040 | $81,480 | $82,883 (+4.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.