City comparison
Gainesville, FL vs Omaha, NE
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Gainesville, FL are 5.2% higher than in Omaha, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Omaha, NE would need about $105,200 in Gainesville, FL to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,246 a month in Gainesville, FL versus $1,148 in Omaha, NE. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Gainesville, FL and 18% in Omaha, NE.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,670 a year higher in Omaha, NE than in Gainesville, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.0% moving from Gainesville, FL to Omaha, NE ($106,437 → $107,501), while prices change by −5.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.3% in real buying power.
- Gainesville, FL: price level 96.7 (cheaper)
- 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
| Gainesville, FL | Omaha, NE | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.7 | 91.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,015 in Omaha | $105,246 in Gainesville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,246/mo | $1,148/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,510 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $3,670 (NE) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,020 | $49,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA |
Rent areas: Gainesville, FL HUD Metro FMR Area and Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Gainesville, FL and Omaha, NE-IA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Gainesville | Omaha |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.0 | 86.4 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 88.2 | 76.4 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 93.0 |
| Overall | 96.7 | 91.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Gainesville, FL → Omaha, NE
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.2%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$3,670/yr.
85 Strong offer
Omaha, NE → Gainesville, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.0%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,670/yr.
53 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Gainesville, FL is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Omaha, NE is in Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA. The last column shows what a transfer from Gainesville, FL to Omaha, NE at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Gainesville, FL | Omaha, NE | Real change, Gainesville → Omaha |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,339 | +6.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,425 | +6.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,402 | +6.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $107,501 | +6.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $127,033 | +6.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Gainesville, FL | Omaha, NE | Omaha pay in Gainesville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $56,430 | $62,670 | $65,958 (+16.9%) |
| Software Developers | $122,950 | $125,220 | $131,790 (+7.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,820 | $77,030 | $81,071 (+6.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,870 | $84,600 | $89,038 (+8.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.