City comparison
Columbus, GA vs Lincoln, NE
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Lincoln, NE are 2.6% higher than in Columbus, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbus, GA would need about $102,600 in Lincoln, NE to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $939 a month in Columbus, GA and $926 in Lincoln, NE.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $897 a year higher in Columbus, GA than in Lincoln, NE.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −5.4% moving from Columbus, GA to Lincoln, NE ($112,556 → $106,437), while prices change by +2.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −7.8% in real buying power.
- Columbus, GA: price level 89.3 (much cheaper)
- 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
| Columbus, GA | Lincoln, NE | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.3 | 91.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,559 in Lincoln | $97,505 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $939/mo | $926/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,613 | $75,510 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,567 (GA) | $3,670 (NE) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $43,540 | $49,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Columbus, GA-AL HUD Metro FMR Area and Lincoln, NE HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbus, GA-AL and Lincoln, NE.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Lincoln |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 61.2 | 84.2 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 89.7 | 76.8 |
| Other services | 98.6 | 93.0 |
| Overall | 89.3 | 91.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, GA → Lincoln, NE
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.5%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$897/yr.
61 Fair offer
Lincoln, NE → Columbus, GA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.6%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$897/yr.
77 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, GA is in the Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL pay area; Lincoln, NE is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, GA to Lincoln, NE at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, GA | Lincoln, NE | Real change, Columbus → Lincoln |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,271 | $61,722 | −7.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,972 | $74,678 | −7.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $94,654 | $89,508 | −7.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $112,556 | $106,437 | −7.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,007 | $125,776 | −7.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, GA | Lincoln, NE | Lincoln pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,360 | $61,940 | $60,395 (−1.6%) |
| Software Developers | $116,150 | $101,690 | $99,153 (−14.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $73,640 | $65,170 | $63,544 (−13.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,500 | $87,530 | $85,346 (+3.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.