City comparison
Lincoln, NE vs McAllen, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Lincoln, NE are 6.6% higher than in McAllen, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in McAllen, TX would need about $106,600 in Lincoln, NE to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $926 a month in Lincoln, NE versus $847 in McAllen, TX. On $100,000, that's 15% of take-home pay in Lincoln, NE and 13% in McAllen, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,670 a year higher in Lincoln, NE than in McAllen, 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 McAllen, TX changes real buying power by +6.6%, purely from prices.
- Lincoln, NE: price level 91.6 (much cheaper)
- McAllen, TX: price level 85.9 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Lincoln, NE | McAllen, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.6 | 85.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,791 in McAllen | $106,620 in Lincoln |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $926/mo | $847/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% | 13% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,800 | $35,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Lincoln, NE HUD Metro FMR Area and McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX MSA. Metro areas: Lincoln, NE and McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lincoln | McAllen |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 84.2 | 55.9 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 76.8 | 81.2 |
| Other services | 93.0 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 91.6 | 85.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lincoln, NE → McAllen, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.6%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax −$3,670/yr.
89 Strong offer
McAllen, TX → Lincoln, NE
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.2%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$3,670/yr.
49 Fair offer
Federal employees: GS pay
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 McAllen, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lincoln, NE | McAllen, TX | Real change, Lincoln → McAllen |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +6.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +6.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +6.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +6.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +6.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lincoln, NE | McAllen, TX | McAllen pay in Lincoln dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $78,190 | $78,200 | $83,377 (+6.6%) |
| Software Developers | $101,690 | $116,120 | $123,807 (+21.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,170 | $64,470 | $68,738 (+5.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $87,530 | $80,540 | $85,872 (−1.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.