City comparison
Lexington, KY vs Minneapolis, MN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Minneapolis, MN are 12.8% higher than in Lexington, KY. Someone earning $100,000 in Lexington, KY would need about $112,800 in Minneapolis, MN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,405 a month in Minneapolis, MN versus $1,079 in Lexington, KY. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Minneapolis, MN and 17% in Lexington, KY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,894 a year higher in Minneapolis, MN than in Lexington, KY.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +9.0% moving from Lexington, KY to Minneapolis, MN ($106,437 → $116,038), while prices change by +12.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.4% in real buying power.
- Lexington, KY: price level 92.9 (cheaper)
- Minneapolis, MN: price level 104.8 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Lexington, KY | Minneapolis, MN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.9 | 104.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $112,847 in Minneapolis | $88,616 in Lexington |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,079/mo | $1,405/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,798 | $73,903 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,382 (KY) | $5,277 (MN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,620 | $59,320 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI |
Rent areas: Lexington-Fayette, KY MSA and Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Lexington-Fayette, KY and Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lexington | Minneapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 77.1 | 111.8 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 103.1 |
| Utilities | 74.6 | 93.5 |
| Other services | 96.9 | 104.4 |
| Overall | 92.9 | 104.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lexington, KY → Minneapolis, MN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.4%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$1,894/yr.
38 Weak offer
Minneapolis, MN → Lexington, KY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.8%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,894/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Lexington, KY is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Minneapolis, MN is in Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Lexington, KY to Minneapolis, MN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lexington, KY | Minneapolis, MN | Real change, Lexington → Minneapolis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $67,290 | −3.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $81,415 | −3.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $97,582 | −3.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $116,038 | −3.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $137,123 | −3.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lexington, KY | Minneapolis, MN | Minneapolis pay in Lexington dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,460 | $79,730 | $70,653 (+15.0%) |
| Software Developers | $123,510 | $130,920 | $116,016 (−6.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,780 | $86,500 | $76,653 (−1.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,040 | $103,040 | $91,310 (+15.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.