Software Developers salary in Lexington, KY
Median pay for software developers in Lexington, KY: $103,280/yr
Typical range (10th–90th percentile): $70,930 – $151,340 · about 990 employed locally
Below the typical metro median ($111,055) by −$7,775 (-7%).
What it's really worth in Lexington
With Lexington's cost of living at 93 (US=100), that $103,280 has the buying power of about $111,653 in an average-cost US metro.
Local context: median household income $68,089 · median home $327,671 · median rent $1,528/mo.
How Lexington ranks for this job
On raw pay, Lexington, KY is 135th of the 186 metros we hold software developers wages for. Once Lexington's cost of living is applied, it ranks 130th.
Pay and living costs are roughly in step here, so Lexington sits in much the same place whether you look at raw salary or spending power.
What that salary buys in Lexington
A median home in Lexington, KY costs $327,671 — about 3.2× this salary, against a typical US metro figure of 4.7×. Buying is more attainable here than in the average metro on this income.
Median rent of $1,528/mo works out at 18% of gross pay — inside the conventional 30% affordability ceiling.
Where software developers earn more
Pay on its own is only half the picture, so each row shows what rent costs there relative to Lexington.
| Metro | Median pay | vs Lexington | Rent vs Lexington |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose, CA | $199,100 | +93% | 2.4× |
| San Francisco, CA | $172,340 | +67% | 2.1× |
| Seattle, WA | $167,030 | +62% | 1.5× |
| Santa Maria, CA | $154,200 | +49% | 2.2× |
Same job elsewhere in KY
| Metro | Median pay | vs Lexington | Rent vs Lexington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Louisville, KY | $105,990 | +3% | 1× |
Staying in KY keeps state income tax and licensing the same, which makes these the most directly comparable moves.
Who hires software developers around Lexington
Large local employers in sectors that typically employ this role.
- Lockheed Martin · Aerospace/Defense
Other jobs in Lexington
Source: US BLS OEWS (May 2023) median annual wage; cost of living from BEA; home price and rent from Zillow; household income from US Census ACS. Rankings are across the 186 metros we hold wage data for in this occupation. Estimates for guidance only. See methodology.