Is it cheaper to live in Casper or Lexington?

Casper, WY is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $930 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 14% below Lexington, KY's $1,080, mainly because of rent.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Casper than in Lexington?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Casper versus $35,000 in Lexington.

Which has lower taxes, Casper or Lexington?

Casper is taxed under Wyoming's rules (no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax); Lexington under Kentucky's (a top state income tax rate of 3.50% and a 6% state sales tax).

Casper vs Lexington Cost of Living 2026

Casper

Wyoming

$930/mo est.

Lexington

Kentucky

$1,080/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $930 in Casper, WY versus $1,080 in Lexington, KY. Overall, Casper, WY is roughly 14% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Lexington, KY, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $69,171 in Casper, WY and $67,631 in Lexington, KY — about 2% higher in Casper, WY. Wyoming has no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax; Kentucky has a top state income tax rate of 3.50% and a 6% state sales tax.

Casper, WY

Lexington, KY

Rent

Studio

$730

$769

+5% in Lexington, KY

1 Bedroom

$764

$887

+16% in Lexington, KY

2 Bedroom

$930

$1,119

+20% in Lexington, KY

3 Bedroom

$1,299

$1,408

+8% in Lexington, KY

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$250,700

$272,100

+9% in Lexington, KY

Income

Median Household Income

$69,171

$67,631

+2% in Casper, WY

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$48,880

$48,620

+1% in Casper, WY

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

37.0 yr

35.2 yr

+1.8 yr in Casper, WY

Homeownership

70.3%

53.6%

+16.7 pp in Casper, WY

Bachelor's+ (25+)

30.0%

47.3%

+17.3 pp in Lexington, KY

Avg Commute

16.9 min

20.8 min

+3.9 min in Lexington, KY

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

302.4

269.1

+11% in Casper, WY

Property Crime

2,123.8

2,304.4

+9% in Lexington, KY

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

45.4°F

55.6°F

+10.2°F in Lexington, KY

Annual Precipitation

12.5 in

45.2 in

+32.7 in in Lexington, KY

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$4.27/gal

$3.85/gal

+10% in Casper, WY

Area: Rocky Mountain (PADD 4) vs Midwest (PADD 2).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

15.2

14.3

+6% in Casper, WY

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$18.28

$33.20

+82% in Lexington, KY

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.82

$4.00

+17% in Casper, WY

Bread (lb)

$2.04

$1.75

+14% in Casper, WY

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

$2.21

+1% in Lexington, KY

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.36

$6.45

+12% in Casper, WY

Chicken (lb)

$2.01

$1.90

+6% in Casper, WY

Bananas (lb)

$0.70

$0.62

+12% in Casper, WY

Average prices — West vs South (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (WY / KY)

+2.0 pp in KY

Income Tax (top rate)

None

3.50%

+3.5 pp in KY

Casper vs Lexington — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Casper or Lexington?: Casper, WY is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $930 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 14% below Lexington, KY's $1,080, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Casper than in Lexington?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Casper versus $35,000 in Lexington.
Which has lower taxes, Casper or Lexington?: Casper is taxed under Wyoming's rules (no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax); Lexington under Kentucky's (a top state income tax rate of 3.50% and a 6% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).