City comparison
Lexington, KY vs Palm Bay, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Palm Bay, FL are 7.7% higher than in Lexington, KY. Someone earning $100,000 in Lexington, KY would need about $107,700 in Palm Bay, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,478 a month in Palm Bay, FL versus $1,079 in Lexington, KY. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Palm Bay, FL and 17% in Lexington, KY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,382 a year higher in Lexington, KY than in Palm Bay, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.7% moving from Lexington, KY to Palm Bay, FL ($106,437 → $107,228), while prices change by +7.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −6.4% in real buying power.
- Lexington, KY: price level 92.9 (cheaper)
- Palm Bay, FL: price level 100.0 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Lexington, KY | Palm Bay, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.9 | 100.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,661 in Palm Bay | $92,884 in Lexington |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,079/mo | $1,478/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,798 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,382 (KY) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,620 | $49,030 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL |
Rent areas: Lexington-Fayette, KY MSA and Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL MSA. Metro areas: Lexington-Fayette, KY and Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lexington | Palm Bay |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 77.1 | 111.7 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 74.6 | 88.1 |
| Other services | 96.9 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 92.9 | 100.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lexington, KY → Palm Bay, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.1%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$3,382/yr.
47 Fair offer
Palm Bay, FL → Lexington, KY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.7%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$3,382/yr.
93 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Lexington, KY is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Palm Bay, FL is in Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL. The last column shows what a transfer from Lexington, KY to Palm Bay, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lexington, KY | Palm Bay, FL | Real change, Lexington → Palm Bay |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,181 | −6.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,233 | −6.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,173 | −6.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $107,228 | −6.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $126,711 | −6.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lexington, KY | Palm Bay, FL | Palm Bay pay in Lexington dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,460 | $62,510 | $58,062 (−5.5%) |
| Software Developers | $123,510 | $131,760 | $122,384 (−0.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,780 | $75,860 | $70,462 (−9.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,040 | $80,900 | $75,143 (−4.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.