City comparison
Louisville, 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 4.1% higher than in Louisville, KY. Someone earning $100,000 in Louisville, KY would need about $104,100 in Tucson, AZ to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,047 a month in Louisville, KY and $1,081 in Tucson, AZ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,091 a year higher in Louisville, KY than in Tucson, AZ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.9% moving from Louisville, KY to Tucson, AZ ($106,437 → $108,455), while prices change by +4.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.1% in real buying power.
- Louisville, KY: price level 93.1 (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
| Louisville, KY | Tucson, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.1 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,106 in Tucson | $96,056 in Louisville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,047/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 | $48,370 | $47,760 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Tucson-Nogales, AZ |
Rent areas: Louisville, KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Tucson, AZ MSA. Metro areas: Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN and Tucson, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Louisville | Tucson |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 78.6 | 91.8 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 75.0 | 89.5 |
| Other services | 96.8 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 93.1 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Louisville, KY → Tucson, AZ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.9%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,091/yr.
56 Fair offer
Tucson, AZ → Louisville, KY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.1%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$1,091/yr.
82 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Louisville, 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 Louisville, KY to Tucson, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Louisville, KY | Tucson, AZ | Real change, Louisville → Tucson |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,893 | −2.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $76,095 | −2.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $91,205 | −2.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $108,455 | −2.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $128,162 | −2.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Louisville, KY | Tucson, AZ | Tucson pay in Louisville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,610 | $47,220 | $45,357 (−26.4%) |
| Software Developers | $110,270 | $123,710 | $118,830 (+7.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,320 | $76,320 | $73,310 (−3.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,850 | $94,110 | $90,398 (+6.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.