City comparison
Kennewick, WA vs Lincoln, NE
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Kennewick, WA are 9.3% higher than in Lincoln, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Lincoln, NE would need about $109,300 in Kennewick, WA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,268 a month in Kennewick, WA versus $926 in Lincoln, NE. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Kennewick, WA and 15% in Lincoln, NE.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,670 a year higher in Lincoln, NE than in Kennewick, WA.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Kennewick, WA to Lincoln, NE changes real buying power by +9.3%, purely from prices.
- Kennewick, WA: price level 100.1 (about average)
- 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
| Kennewick, WA | Lincoln, NE | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.1 | 91.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,509 in Lincoln | $109,279 in Kennewick |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,268/mo | $926/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,510 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (WA) | $3,670 (NE) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $57,290 | $49,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Kennewick-Richland, WA MSA and Lincoln, NE HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Kennewick-Richland, WA and Lincoln, NE.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Kennewick | Lincoln |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 94.8 | 84.2 |
| Goods | 105.0 | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 93.6 | 76.8 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 93.0 |
| Overall | 100.1 | 91.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Kennewick, WA → Lincoln, NE
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.3%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$3,670/yr.
98 Strong offer
Lincoln, NE → Kennewick, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.5%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,670/yr.
42 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Kennewick, WA to Lincoln, NE at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Kennewick, WA | Lincoln, NE | Real change, Kennewick → Lincoln |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +9.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +9.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +9.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +9.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +9.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Kennewick, WA | Lincoln, NE | Lincoln pay in Kennewick dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $100,380 | $61,940 | $67,688 (−32.6%) |
| Software Developers | $127,800 | $101,690 | $111,126 (−13.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $93,280 | $65,170 | $71,217 (−23.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $106,410 | $87,530 | $95,652 (−10.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.