City comparison
Detroit, MI vs Omaha, NE
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Detroit, MI are 9.1% higher than in Omaha, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Omaha, NE would need about $109,100 in Detroit, MI to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,122 a month in Detroit, MI and $1,148 in Omaha, NE.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $329 a year higher in Detroit, MI than in Omaha, NE.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −8.4% moving from Detroit, MI to Omaha, NE ($117,402 → $107,501), while prices change by −8.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.1% in real buying power.
- Detroit, MI: price level 100.3 (about average)
- Omaha, NE: price level 91.9 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Detroit, MI | Omaha, NE | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.3 | 91.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,638 in Omaha | $109,125 in Detroit |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,122/mo | $1,148/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $75,510 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $3,670 (NE) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $52,080 | $49,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA |
Rent areas: Detroit-Warren-Livonia, MI HUD Metro FMR Area and Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI and Omaha, NE-IA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Detroit | Omaha |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 94.7 | 86.4 |
| Goods | 98.8 | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 107.0 | 76.4 |
| Other services | 102.6 | 93.0 |
| Overall | 100.3 | 91.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Detroit, MI → Omaha, NE
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.1%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$329/yr.
97 Strong offer
Omaha, NE → Detroit, MI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.4%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$329/yr.
43 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Detroit, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Omaha, NE is in Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA. The last column shows what a transfer from Detroit, MI to Omaha, NE at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Detroit, MI | Omaha, NE | Real change, Detroit → Omaha |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $62,339 | −0.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $75,425 | −0.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $90,402 | −0.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $107,501 | −0.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $127,033 | −0.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Detroit, MI | Omaha, NE | Omaha pay in Detroit dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $65,210 | $62,670 | $68,389 (+4.9%) |
| Software Developers | $130,760 | $125,220 | $136,646 (+4.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,650 | $77,030 | $84,059 (+4.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,280 | $84,600 | $92,320 (−5.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.