City comparison
Lexington, KY vs Springfield, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Springfield, MA are 3.4% higher than in Lexington, KY. Someone earning $100,000 in Lexington, KY would need about $103,400 in Springfield, MA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,382 a month in Springfield, MA versus $1,079 in Lexington, KY. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Springfield, MA and 17% in Lexington, KY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,398 a year higher in Springfield, MA than in Lexington, KY.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.8% moving from Lexington, KY to Springfield, MA ($106,437 → $120,094), while prices change by +3.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +9.1% in real buying power.
- Lexington, KY: price level 92.9 (cheaper)
- Springfield, MA: price level 96.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Lexington, KY | Springfield, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.9 | 96.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,415 in Springfield | $96,698 in Lexington |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,079/mo | $1,382/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,798 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,382 (KY) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,620 | $51,930 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Lexington-Fayette, KY MSA and Springfield, MA MSA. Metro areas: Lexington-Fayette, KY and Springfield, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lexington | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 77.1 | 75.8 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 74.6 | 155.0 |
| Other services | 96.9 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 92.9 | 96.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lexington, KY → Springfield, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.3%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$1,398/yr.
58 Fair offer
Springfield, MA → Lexington, KY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.4%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,398/yr.
79 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Lexington, KY is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Springfield, MA is in Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA. The last column shows what a transfer from Lexington, KY to Springfield, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lexington, KY | Springfield, MA | Real change, Lexington → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,642 | +9.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,260 | +9.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $100,992 | +9.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,094 | +9.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $141,915 | +9.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lexington, KY | Springfield, MA | Springfield pay in Lexington dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,460 | $79,640 | $77,010 (+25.3%) |
| Software Developers | $123,510 | $127,740 | $123,522 (+0.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,780 | $92,010 | $88,972 (+14.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,040 | $98,410 | $95,160 (+20.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.