City comparison
Louisville, KY vs Oklahoma City, OK
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Louisville, KY are 2.9% higher than in Oklahoma City, OK. Someone earning $100,000 in Oklahoma City, OK would need about $102,900 in Louisville, KY to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,047 a month in Louisville, KY and $1,017 in Oklahoma City, OK.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $572 a year higher in Oklahoma City, OK than in Louisville, 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 Louisville, KY to Oklahoma City, OK changes real buying power by +2.9%, purely from prices.
- Louisville, KY: price level 93.1 (cheaper)
- Oklahoma City, OK: price level 90.4 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Louisville, KY | Oklahoma City, OK | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.1 | 90.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,136 in Oklahoma City | $102,949 in Louisville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,047/mo | $1,017/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,798 | $75,226 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,382 (KY) | $3,955 (OK) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,370 | $47,230 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Louisville, KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Oklahoma City, OK HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN and Oklahoma City, OK.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Louisville | Oklahoma City |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 78.6 | 73.9 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 75.0 | 74.1 |
| Other services | 96.8 | 95.5 |
| Overall | 93.1 | 90.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Louisville, KY → Oklahoma City, OK
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.9%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$572/yr.
78 Strong offer
Oklahoma City, OK → Louisville, KY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.9%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$572/yr.
60 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 Louisville, KY to Oklahoma City, OK at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Louisville, KY | Oklahoma City, OK | Real change, Louisville → Oklahoma City |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +2.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +2.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +2.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +2.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +2.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Louisville, KY | Oklahoma City, OK | Oklahoma City pay in Louisville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,610 | $48,780 | $50,218 (−18.5%) |
| Software Developers | $110,270 | $122,390 | $125,999 (+14.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,320 | $77,280 | $79,559 (+4.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,850 | $82,920 | $85,365 (+0.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.