City comparison
Lexington, KY vs Portland, ME
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, ME are 9.7% higher than in Lexington, KY. Someone earning $100,000 in Lexington, KY would need about $109,700 in Portland, ME to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,658 a month in Portland, ME versus $1,079 in Lexington, KY. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Portland, ME and 17% in Lexington, KY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,272 a year higher in Portland, ME than in Lexington, KY.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +13.3% moving from Lexington, KY to Portland, ME ($106,437 → $120,548), while prices change by +9.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.3% in real buying power.
- Lexington, KY: price level 92.9 (cheaper)
- Portland, ME: price level 101.9 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Lexington, KY | Portland, ME | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.9 | 101.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $109,656 in Portland | $91,195 in Lexington |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,079/mo | $1,658/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,798 | $73,526 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,382 (KY) | $5,654 (ME) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 27% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,620 | $56,960 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Lexington-Fayette, KY MSA and Portland, ME HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Lexington-Fayette, KY and Portland-South Portland, ME.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lexington | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 77.1 | 105.2 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 97.2 |
| Utilities | 74.6 | 134.6 |
| Other services | 96.9 | 103.2 |
| Overall | 92.9 | 101.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lexington, KY → Portland, ME
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.8%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$2,272/yr.
38 Weak offer
Portland, ME → Lexington, KY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.7%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$2,272/yr.
99 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Lexington, KY is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Portland, ME is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Lexington, KY to Portland, ME at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lexington, KY | Portland, ME | Real change, Lexington → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,905 | +3.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,579 | +3.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $101,375 | +3.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,548 | +3.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $142,452 | +3.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lexington, KY | Portland, ME | Portland pay in Lexington dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,460 | $76,770 | $70,010 (+13.9%) |
| Software Developers | $123,510 | $128,710 | $117,377 (−5.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,780 | $79,790 | $72,764 (−6.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,040 | $88,470 | $80,680 (+2.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.