Relocation: Lexington-Fayette, KY to Houston-Pasadena, TX
Data updated · Sources: HUD FY 2027 Fair Market Rents, EPI 2026 Family Budget, 2026 tax tables · Methodology
Income tax, HUD Fair Market Rents and EPI living costs for a move from Lexington-Fayette, KY to Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX.
Interactive Purchasing Power Equivalency Workbench
Adjust your current salary at origin to dynamically compute the statutory tax burden, housing costs, and discretionary cash in both markets.
Lexington-Fayette, KY
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX
Itemized Cost of Living Expenditure Arbitrage
Category-by-category breakdown of monthly baseline consumption between origin and destination.
| Expenditure Category | Lexington-Fayette (Monthly) | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands (Monthly) | Monthly Delta ($) | Difference (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Housing (1BR Fair Market Rent) | $1,205 | $1,261 | +$56 | +4.6% |
| Food & Groceries | $343 | $321 | -$22 | -6.4% |
| Transportation | $1,030 | $1,015 | -$15 | -1.5% |
| Healthcare | $444 | $422 | -$22 | -5.0% |
| Other Necessities | $354 | $480 | +$126 | +35.6% |
| Total Taxes (Federal, State, Local, FICA) | $2,246 | $1,735 | -$511 | -22.8% |
HUD Fair Market Rent Differential
EPI Living Wage Benchmark Comparison
Top Local Occupations Wage Parity
BLS median wage comparisons across benchmark roles between both metropolitan labor markets.
| Occupation Title | Industry Sector | Lexington-Fayette Median | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands Median | Nominal Wage Delta | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General and Operations ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $80,440 | $119,600 | +$39,160 (+48.7%) | View Dossier |
| Registered Nurse (RN)Healthcare | Healthcare | $79,040 | $99,830 | +$20,790 (+26.3%) | View Dossier |
| Project Management SpecialistBusiness Operations | Business Operations | $84,520 | $99,510 | +$14,990 (+17.7%) | View Dossier |
| Accountant & AuditorFinance | Finance | $77,780 | $85,090 | +$7,310 (+9.4%) | View Dossier |
| Software EngineerTechnology | Technology | $123,510 | $129,440 | +$5,930 (+4.8%) | View Dossier |
| ElectricianSkilled Trades | Skilled Trades | $57,320 | $59,180 | +$1,860 (+3.2%) | View Dossier |
| Financial ManagerFinance | Finance | $135,760 | $166,910 | +$31,150 (+22.9%) | View Dossier |
| Industrial Machinery MechanicIndustrial Manufacturing | Industrial Manufacturing | $61,320 | $63,180 | +$1,860 (+3.0%) | View Dossier |
| Quality Control InspectorIndustrial Manufacturing | Industrial Manufacturing | $44,340 | $46,630 | +$2,290 (+5.2%) | View Dossier |
| Sales ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $124,860 | $135,880 | +$11,020 (+8.8%) | View Dossier |
| Construction ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $100,810 | $103,530 | +$2,720 (+2.7%) | View Dossier |
| WelderSkilled Trades | Skilled Trades | $53,680 | $57,940 | +$4,260 (+7.9%) | View Dossier |
Major US Inter-Metro Relocation Corridors
Empirical cost differentials and statutory tax savings across high-volume migration routes.
On $100k: $8,301 less tax and $14,388 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $6,211 less tax and $17,676 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $4,805 less tax and $2,928 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $1,729 less tax and $19,884 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $4,113 less tax and $10,908 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $3,761 more tax and $4,188 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $1,299 less tax and $11,592 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $8,301 less tax and $7,296 less 1BR rent a year
Lexington-Fayette, KY to Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX Relocation FAQs
About $110,800. That scales $100,000 by the ratio of the metros' cost-of-living indexes (96.9 in Lexington-Fayette, KY, 107.4 in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX, from EPI family budgets); taxes are compared separately below.
Lexington-Fayette, KY to Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX: State Paychecks, Rents & Reciprocal Corridor
Lexington-Fayette, KY to Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX: 2026 federal, state & local income tax, HUD Fair Market Rents & EPI living costs compared on. Official 2026 economic data for Relocation: Lexington-Fayette, KY to Houston-Pasadena, TX compiled from Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS surveys, HUD Fair Market Rents, and statutory tax codes.
Quick answers
About $110,800. That scales $100,000 by the ratio of the metros' cost-of-living indexes (96.9 in Lexington-Fayette, KY, 107.4 in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX, from EPI family budgets); taxes are compared separately below.
EPI's family budgets for a single adult put overall living costs 10.8% higher in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX than in Lexington-Fayette, KY. The budgets cover housing, food, transportation, health care and other necessities.