City comparison
Lexington, KY vs Merced, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Merced, CA are 5.8% higher than in Lexington, KY. Someone earning $100,000 in Lexington, KY would need about $105,800 in Merced, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,213 a month in Merced, CA versus $1,079 in Lexington, KY. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Merced, CA and 17% in Lexington, KY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,688 a year higher in Merced, CA than in Lexington, KY.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +25.0% moving from Lexington, KY to Merced, CA ($106,437 → $133,060), while prices change by +5.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +18.2% in real buying power.
- Lexington, KY: price level 92.9 (cheaper)
- Merced, CA: price level 98.3 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Lexington, KY | Merced, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.9 | 98.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,798 in Merced | $94,519 in Lexington |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,079/mo | $1,213/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,798 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,382 (KY) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,620 | $47,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA |
Rent areas: Lexington-Fayette, KY MSA and Merced, CA MSA. Metro areas: Lexington-Fayette, KY and Merced, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lexington | Merced |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 77.1 | 78.6 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 74.6 | 158.3 |
| Other services | 96.9 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 92.9 | 98.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lexington, KY → Merced, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.5%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$1,688/yr.
52 Fair offer
Merced, CA → Lexington, KY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.8%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,688/yr.
87 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Lexington, KY is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Merced, CA is in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Lexington, KY to Merced, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lexington, KY | Merced, CA | Real change, Lexington → Merced |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $77,161 | +18.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $93,358 | +18.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $111,896 | +18.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $133,060 | +18.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $157,236 | +18.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lexington, KY | Merced, CA | Merced pay in Lexington dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,460 | $100,120 | $94,633 (+54.0%) |
| Software Developers | $123,510 | $132,120 | $124,879 (+1.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,780 | $80,420 | $76,013 (−2.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,040 | $131,620 | $124,407 (+57.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.