City comparison
Durham, NC vs Lincoln, NE
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Durham, NC are 6.5% higher than in Lincoln, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Lincoln, NE would need about $106,500 in Durham, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,507 a month in Durham, NC versus $926 in Lincoln, NE. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Durham, NC and 15% in Lincoln, NE.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,481 a year in NC and $3,670 in NE.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Durham, NC to Lincoln, NE ($111,147 → $106,437), while prices change by −6.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.0% in real buying power.
- Durham, NC: price level 97.6 (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
| Durham, NC | Lincoln, NE | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.6 | 91.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,860 in Lincoln | $106,542 in Durham |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,507/mo | $926/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $75,510 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $3,670 (NE) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,720 | $49,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Lincoln, NE HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC and Lincoln, NE.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Durham | Lincoln |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.9 | 84.2 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 89.3 | 76.8 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 93.0 |
| Overall | 97.6 | 91.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Durham, NC → Lincoln, NE
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.5%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$189/yr.
89 Strong offer
Lincoln, NE → Durham, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.1%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$189/yr.
50 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Durham, NC is in the Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC pay area; Lincoln, NE is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Durham, NC to Lincoln, NE at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Durham, NC | Lincoln, NE | Real change, Durham → Lincoln |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,453 | $61,722 | +2.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,983 | $74,678 | +2.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,468 | $89,508 | +2.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,147 | $106,437 | +2.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,342 | $125,776 | +2.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Durham, NC | Lincoln, NE | Lincoln pay in Durham dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $51,400 | $61,940 | $65,992 (+28.4%) |
| Software Developers | $135,620 | $101,690 | $108,342 (−20.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,090 | $65,170 | $69,433 (−18.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | not published | $87,530 | — |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.