City comparison
Lincoln, NE vs Merced, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Merced, CA are 7.3% higher than in Lincoln, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Lincoln, NE would need about $107,300 in Merced, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,213 a month in Merced, CA versus $926 in Lincoln, NE. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Merced, CA and 15% in Lincoln, NE.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,400 a year higher in Merced, CA than in Lincoln, NE.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +25.0% moving from Lincoln, NE to Merced, CA ($106,437 → $133,060), while prices change by +7.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +16.5% in real buying power.
- Lincoln, NE: price level 91.6 (much cheaper)
- Merced, CA: price level 98.3 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Lincoln, NE | Merced, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.6 | 98.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,309 in Merced | $93,189 in Lincoln |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $926/mo | $1,213/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,510 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,670 (NE) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,800 | $47,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA |
Rent areas: Lincoln, NE HUD Metro FMR Area and Merced, CA MSA. Metro areas: Lincoln, NE and Merced, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lincoln | Merced |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 84.2 | 78.6 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 76.8 | 158.3 |
| Other services | 93.0 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 91.6 | 98.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lincoln, NE → Merced, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.8%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$1,400/yr.
47 Fair offer
Merced, CA → Lincoln, NE
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.3%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$1,400/yr.
92 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Lincoln, NE is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Merced, CA is in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Lincoln, NE to Merced, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lincoln, NE | Merced, CA | Real change, Lincoln → Merced |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $77,161 | +16.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $93,358 | +16.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $111,896 | +16.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $133,060 | +16.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $157,236 | +16.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lincoln, NE | Merced, CA | Merced pay in Lincoln dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,940 | $100,120 | $93,300 (+50.6%) |
| Software Developers | $101,690 | $132,120 | $123,121 (+21.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,170 | $80,420 | $74,942 (+15.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $87,530 | $131,620 | $122,655 (+40.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.