City comparison
Baltimore, MD vs Lincoln, NE
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Baltimore, MD are 14.1% higher than in Lincoln, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Lincoln, NE would need about $114,100 in Baltimore, MD to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,511 a month in Baltimore, MD versus $926 in Lincoln, NE. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Baltimore, MD and 15% in Lincoln, NE.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $716 a year higher in Baltimore, MD than in Lincoln, NE.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −12.6% moving from Baltimore, MD to Lincoln, NE ($121,785 → $106,437), while prices change by −12.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.3% in real buying power.
- Baltimore, MD: price level 104.5 (pricier)
- Lincoln, NE: price level 91.6 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Baltimore, MD | Lincoln, NE | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.5 | 91.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $87,648 in Lincoln | $114,092 in Baltimore |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,511/mo | $926/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,794 | $75,510 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,386 (MD) | $3,670 (NE) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,070 | $49,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD MSA and Lincoln, NE HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD and Lincoln, NE.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Baltimore | Lincoln |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 118.2 | 84.2 |
| Goods | 102.4 | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 110.2 | 76.8 |
| Other services | 101.5 | 93.0 |
| Overall | 104.5 | 91.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Baltimore, MD → Lincoln, NE
Same pay goes further
Buying power +14.1%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$716/yr.
100 Strong offer
Lincoln, NE → Baltimore, MD
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.4%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$716/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Baltimore, MD is in the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA pay area; Lincoln, NE is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Baltimore, MD to Lincoln, NE at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Baltimore, MD | Lincoln, NE | Real change, Baltimore → Lincoln |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $70,623 | $61,722 | −0.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $85,447 | $74,678 | −0.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $102,415 | $89,508 | −0.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $121,785 | $106,437 | −0.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $143,913 | $125,776 | −0.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Baltimore, MD | Lincoln, NE | Lincoln pay in Baltimore dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,400 | $61,940 | $70,669 (−7.5%) |
| Software Developers | $138,900 | $101,690 | $116,021 (−16.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,160 | $65,170 | $74,354 (−12.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,550 | $87,530 | $99,865 (+0.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.