City comparison
Lexington, KY vs Wichita, KS
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Lexington, KY are 4.4% higher than in Wichita, KS. Someone earning $100,000 in Wichita, KS would need about $104,400 in Lexington, KY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,079 a month in Lexington, KY versus $849 in Wichita, KS. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Lexington, KY and 14% in Wichita, KS.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,398 a year higher in Wichita, KS than in Lexington, KY.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Lexington, KY to Wichita, KS changes real buying power by +4.4%, purely from prices.
- Lexington, KY: price level 92.9 (cheaper)
- Wichita, KS: price level 88.9 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Lexington, KY | Wichita, KS | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.9 | 88.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,755 in Wichita | $104,433 in Lexington |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,079/mo | $849/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 (KS) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,620 | $47,630 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Lexington-Fayette, KY MSA and Wichita, KS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Lexington-Fayette, KY and Wichita, KS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lexington | Wichita |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 77.1 | 66.2 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 94.0 |
| Utilities | 74.6 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 96.9 | 93.8 |
| Overall | 92.9 | 88.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lexington, KY → Wichita, KS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.4%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$1,398/yr.
83 Strong offer
Wichita, KS → Lexington, KY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.2%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,398/yr.
55 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Lexington, KY to Wichita, KS at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lexington, KY | Wichita, KS | Real change, Lexington → Wichita |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +4.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +4.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +4.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +4.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +4.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lexington, KY | Wichita, KS | Wichita pay in Lexington dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,460 | $58,640 | $61,240 (−0.4%) |
| Software Developers | $123,510 | $105,980 | $110,678 (−10.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,780 | $79,270 | $82,784 (+6.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,040 | $76,540 | $79,933 (+1.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.