City comparison
Lexington, KY vs Tucson, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Tucson, AZ are 4.3% higher than in Lexington, KY. Someone earning $100,000 in Lexington, KY would need about $104,300 in Tucson, AZ to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,079 a month in Lexington, KY and $1,081 in Tucson, AZ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,091 a year higher in Lexington, KY than in Tucson, AZ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.9% moving from Lexington, KY to Tucson, AZ ($106,437 → $108,455), while prices change by +4.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.3% in real buying power.
- Lexington, KY: price level 92.9 (cheaper)
- Tucson, AZ: price level 96.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Lexington, KY | Tucson, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.9 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,314 in Tucson | $95,865 in Lexington |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,079/mo | $1,081/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,798 | $76,889 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,382 (KY) | $2,291 (AZ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,620 | $47,760 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Tucson-Nogales, AZ |
Rent areas: Lexington-Fayette, KY MSA and Tucson, AZ MSA. Metro areas: Lexington-Fayette, KY and Tucson, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lexington | Tucson |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 77.1 | 91.8 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 74.6 | 89.5 |
| Other services | 96.9 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 92.9 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lexington, KY → Tucson, AZ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.1%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,091/yr.
56 Fair offer
Tucson, AZ → Lexington, KY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.3%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$1,091/yr.
82 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Lexington, KY is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Tucson, AZ is in Tucson-Nogales, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Lexington, KY to Tucson, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lexington, KY | Tucson, AZ | Real change, Lexington → Tucson |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,893 | −2.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $76,095 | −2.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $91,205 | −2.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $108,455 | −2.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $128,162 | −2.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lexington, KY | Tucson, AZ | Tucson pay in Lexington dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,460 | $47,220 | $45,267 (−26.3%) |
| Software Developers | $123,510 | $123,710 | $118,594 (−4.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,780 | $76,320 | $73,164 (−5.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,040 | $94,110 | $90,218 (+14.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.