City comparison
Lincoln, NE vs Lubbock, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Lincoln, NE (91.6) and Lubbock, TX (91.3, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Lincoln, NE goes as far as $99,700 in Lubbock, TX.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $990 a month in Lubbock, TX versus $926 in Lincoln, NE. On $100,000, that's 15% of take-home pay in Lubbock, TX and 15% in Lincoln, NE.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,670 a year higher in Lincoln, NE than in Lubbock, TX.
- 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 Lincoln, NE to Lubbock, TX changes real buying power by +0.3%, purely from prices.
- Lincoln, NE: price level 91.6 (much cheaper)
- Lubbock, TX: price level 91.3 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Lincoln, NE | Lubbock, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.6 | 91.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,712 in Lubbock | $100,289 in Lincoln |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $926/mo | $990/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,510 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,670 (NE) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,800 | $42,130 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Lincoln, NE HUD Metro FMR Area and Lubbock, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Lincoln, NE and Lubbock, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lincoln | Lubbock |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 84.2 | 76.4 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 76.8 | 82.8 |
| Other services | 93.0 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 91.6 | 91.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lincoln, NE → Lubbock, TX
Roughly even
Buying power +0.3%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$3,670/yr.
70 Fair offer
Lubbock, TX → Lincoln, NE
Roughly even
Buying power −0.3%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$3,670/yr.
68 Fair 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 Lincoln, NE to Lubbock, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lincoln, NE | Lubbock, TX | Real change, Lincoln → Lubbock |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +0.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +0.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +0.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +0.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +0.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lincoln, NE | Lubbock, TX | Lubbock pay in Lincoln dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,940 | $59,220 | $59,391 (−4.1%) |
| Software Developers | $101,690 | $115,190 | $115,523 (+13.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,170 | $74,390 | $74,605 (+14.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $87,530 | $81,480 | $81,716 (−6.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.