City comparison
Lincoln, NE vs Milwaukee, WI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Milwaukee, WI are 5.8% higher than in Lincoln, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Lincoln, NE would need about $105,800 in Milwaukee, WI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,119 a month in Milwaukee, WI versus $926 in Lincoln, NE. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Milwaukee, WI and 15% in Lincoln, NE.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,670 a year in NE and $3,919 in WI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.6% moving from Lincoln, NE to Milwaukee, WI ($106,437 → $111,310), while prices change by +5.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.2% in real buying power.
- Lincoln, NE: price level 91.6 (much cheaper)
- Milwaukee, WI: price level 96.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Lincoln, NE | Milwaukee, WI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.6 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,848 in Milwaukee | $94,475 in Lincoln |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $926/mo | $1,119/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,510 | $75,261 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,670 (NE) | $3,919 (WI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,800 | $51,160 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI |
Rent areas: Lincoln, NE HUD Metro FMR Area and Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI MSA. Metro areas: Lincoln, NE and Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lincoln | Milwaukee |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 84.2 | 97.1 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 76.8 | 91.6 |
| Other services | 93.0 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 91.6 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lincoln, NE → Milwaukee, WI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.5%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$249/yr.
51 Fair offer
Milwaukee, WI → Lincoln, NE
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.8%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$249/yr.
87 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Lincoln, NE is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Milwaukee, WI is in Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Lincoln, NE to Milwaukee, WI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lincoln, NE | Milwaukee, WI | Real change, Lincoln → Milwaukee |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,548 | −1.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $78,098 | −1.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,606 | −1.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,310 | −1.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,535 | −1.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lincoln, NE | Milwaukee, WI | Milwaukee pay in Lincoln dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,940 | $61,480 | $58,083 (−6.2%) |
| Software Developers | $101,690 | $123,730 | $116,894 (+15.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,170 | $80,290 | $75,854 (+16.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $87,530 | $97,360 | $91,981 (+5.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.