City comparison
Lexington, KY vs Oxnard, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Oxnard, CA are 19.0% higher than in Lexington, KY. Someone earning $100,000 in Lexington, KY would need about $119,000 in Oxnard, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,250 a month in Oxnard, CA versus $1,079 in Lexington, KY. On $100,000, that's 36% of take-home pay in Oxnard, CA and 17% in Lexington, KY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,688 a year higher in Oxnard, CA than in Lexington, KY.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +16.6% moving from Lexington, KY to Oxnard, CA ($106,437 → $124,085), while prices change by +19.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.0% in real buying power.
- Lexington, KY: price level 92.9 (cheaper)
- Oxnard, CA: price level 110.5 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Lexington, KY | Oxnard, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.9 | 110.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $118,996 in Oxnard | $84,037 in Lexington |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,079/mo | $2,250/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% | 36% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,620 | $52,510 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA |
Rent areas: Lexington-Fayette, KY MSA and Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA MSA. Metro areas: Lexington-Fayette, KY and Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lexington | Oxnard |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 77.1 | 171.1 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 74.6 | 152.9 |
| Other services | 96.9 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 92.9 | 110.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lexington, KY → Oxnard, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −16.0%; rent takes 36% of take-home; state tax +$1,688/yr.
20 Weak offer
Oxnard, CA → Lexington, KY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +19.0%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,688/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Lexington, KY is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Oxnard, CA is in Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Lexington, KY to Oxnard, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lexington, KY | Oxnard, CA | Real change, Lexington → Oxnard |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $71,957 | −2.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $87,061 | −2.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $104,349 | −2.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $124,085 | −2.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $146,632 | −2.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lexington, KY | Oxnard, CA | Oxnard pay in Lexington dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,460 | $99,420 | $83,549 (+35.9%) |
| Software Developers | $123,510 | $159,430 | $133,980 (+8.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,780 | $90,340 | $75,919 (−2.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,040 | $131,160 | $110,222 (+39.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.