City comparison
Lexington, KY vs Providence, RI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Providence, RI are 9.6% higher than in Lexington, KY. Someone earning $100,000 in Lexington, KY would need about $109,600 in Providence, RI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,402 a month in Providence, RI versus $1,079 in Lexington, KY. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Providence, RI and 17% in Lexington, KY.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,382 a year in KY and $3,148 in RI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +13.3% moving from Lexington, KY to Providence, RI ($106,437 → $120,548), while prices change by +9.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.4% in real buying power.
- Lexington, KY: price level 92.9 (cheaper)
- Providence, RI: price level 101.8 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Lexington, KY | Providence, RI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.9 | 101.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $109,564 in Providence | $91,271 in Lexington |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,079/mo | $1,402/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,798 | $76,032 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,382 (KY) | $3,148 (RI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,620 | $53,680 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Lexington-Fayette, KY MSA and Providence-Fall River, RI-MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Lexington-Fayette, KY and Providence-Warwick, RI-MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lexington | Providence |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 77.1 | 103.9 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 97.1 |
| Utilities | 74.6 | 148.8 |
| Other services | 96.9 | 102.3 |
| Overall | 92.9 | 101.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lexington, KY → Providence, RI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.7%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$234/yr.
41 Weak offer
Providence, RI → Lexington, KY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.6%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$234/yr.
99 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Lexington, KY is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Providence, RI is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Lexington, KY to Providence, RI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lexington, KY | Providence, RI | Real change, Lexington → Providence |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,905 | +3.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,579 | +3.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $101,375 | +3.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,548 | +3.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $142,452 | +3.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lexington, KY | Providence, RI | Providence pay in Lexington dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,460 | $86,720 | $79,150 (+28.8%) |
| Software Developers | $123,510 | $130,690 | $119,282 (−3.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,780 | $95,020 | $86,725 (+11.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,040 | $99,880 | $91,161 (+15.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.