City comparison
Lexington, KY vs Seattle, WA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Seattle, WA are 19.6% higher than in Lexington, KY. Someone earning $100,000 in Lexington, KY would need about $119,600 in Seattle, WA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,146 a month in Seattle, WA versus $1,079 in Lexington, KY. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Seattle, WA and 17% in Lexington, KY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,382 a year higher in Lexington, KY than in Seattle, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.4% moving from Lexington, KY to Seattle, WA ($106,437 → $119,630), while prices change by +19.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −6.1% in real buying power.
- Lexington, KY: price level 92.9 (cheaper)
- Seattle, WA: price level 111.1 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Lexington, KY | Seattle, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.9 | 111.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $119,641 in Seattle | $83,584 in Lexington |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,079/mo | $2,146/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,798 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,382 (KY) | $0 (WA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 33% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,620 | $72,610 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Seattle-Tacoma, WA |
Rent areas: Lexington-Fayette, KY MSA and Seattle-Bellevue, WA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Lexington-Fayette, KY and Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lexington | Seattle |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 77.1 | 151.3 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 104.0 |
| Utilities | 74.6 | 92.8 |
| Other services | 96.9 | 106.8 |
| Overall | 92.9 | 111.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lexington, KY → Seattle, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −16.4%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax −$3,382/yr.
26 Weak offer
Seattle, WA → Lexington, KY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +19.6%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$3,382/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Lexington, KY is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Seattle, WA is in Seattle-Tacoma, WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Lexington, KY to Seattle, WA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lexington, KY | Seattle, WA | Real change, Lexington → Seattle |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,373 | −6.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $83,935 | −6.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $100,602 | −6.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $119,630 | −6.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $141,367 | −6.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lexington, KY | Seattle, WA | Seattle pay in Lexington dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,460 | $102,920 | $86,024 (+40.0%) |
| Software Developers | $123,510 | $167,280 | $139,819 (+13.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,780 | $99,370 | $83,057 (+6.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,040 | $128,260 | $107,204 (+35.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.