Plumber Salary: Louisville, KY vs Boston, MA
BLS reports this occupation as "Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters" (47-2152); every figure on this page is for that BLS occupation.
Side-by-side comparison of wages and local price levels for Plumbers in Louisville, KY and Boston, MA, based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data and BEA regional price parities for 2024.
1Which City Pays More?
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Louisville, KY | Boston, MA | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Annual Salary | $74,680 | $96,760▲ | -$22,080 |
| 25th Percentile | $51,660 | $62,640▲ | -$10,980 |
| 75th Percentile | $88,420 | $117,900▲ | -$29,480 |
| 90th Percentile | $94,920 | $143,950▲ | -$49,030 |
| Price Level (BEA 2024, US = 100) | 93.1 | 108.3 | -15.2 |
| Median at National-Average Prices | $80,237 | $89,372▲ | -$9,135 |
| Total Employment | 2,780 | 9,200 | -6,420 |
3Summary Analysis
On paper, Boston, MA pays $22,080 more (median: $74,680 vs $96,760). BEA's regional price parity is 93.1 in Louisville, KY and 108.3 in Boston, MA (United States = 100). At national-average prices the medians are $80,237 and $89,372, so Boston, MA comes out ahead once local prices are counted.
5Reading This Comparison
The $22,080 gap between the two medians is a gap in dollars, not in what those dollars buy. Dividing each median by its area's regional price parity restates it at national-average prices: $80,237 for Louisville and $89,372 for Boston, a difference of $9,135.
The price levels come from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, which describes them this way: “Regional price parities (RPPs) measure the differences in price levels across states and metropolitan areas for a given year and are expressed as a percentage of the overall national price level.” The figures used here are the all-items index for each whole metropolitan area (Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN; Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH) and cover prices only, not taxes.
BLS estimates 2,780 Plumber jobs in the Louisville area and 9,200 in the Boston area. For broader context, see our Kentucky overview and the full Plumber city ranking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Plumber salary higher in Louisville, KY or Boston, MA?
Boston, MA has the higher median wage for Plumbers ($96,760 per year, against $74,680 in Louisville, KY; BLS OEWS May 2025). Restated at national-average prices using BEA regional price parities, the medians are $80,237 in Louisville, KY and $89,372 in Boston, MA.
How do prices compare between Louisville, KY and Boston, MA?
The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis puts the 2024 regional price parity at 93.1 for the Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN metropolitan area and 108.3 for the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metropolitan area, where the United States is 100. That is 6.9% below the national level for Louisville, KY and 8.3% above the national level for Boston, MA.
Which city pays Plumbers more once local prices are counted?
Boston, MA: at national-average prices its median Plumber wage is $89,372, against $80,237 for Louisville, KY. The adjustment divides each median by the area's BEA regional price parity and covers prices only, not taxes.