City comparison
Lincoln, NE vs Nashville, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Nashville, TN are 5.2% higher than in Lincoln, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Lincoln, NE would need about $105,200 in Nashville, TN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,578 a month in Nashville, TN versus $926 in Lincoln, NE. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Nashville, TN and 15% in Lincoln, NE.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,670 a year higher in Lincoln, NE than in Nashville, TN.
- 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 Nashville, TN changes real buying power by −4.9%, purely from prices.
- Lincoln, NE: price level 91.6 (much cheaper)
- Nashville, TN: price level 96.3 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Lincoln, NE | Nashville, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.6 | 96.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,194 in Nashville | $95,062 in Lincoln |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $926/mo | $1,578/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,510 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,670 (NE) | $0 (TN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,800 | $50,390 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Lincoln, NE HUD Metro FMR Area and Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Lincoln, NE and Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lincoln | Nashville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 84.2 | 104.6 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 76.8 | 72.0 |
| Other services | 93.0 | 95.1 |
| Overall | 91.6 | 96.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lincoln, NE → Nashville, TN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.9%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$3,670/yr.
53 Fair offer
Nashville, TN → Lincoln, NE
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.2%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$3,670/yr.
85 Strong 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 Nashville, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lincoln, NE | Nashville, TN | Real change, Lincoln → Nashville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −4.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −4.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −4.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −4.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −4.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lincoln, NE | Nashville, TN | Nashville pay in Lincoln dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,940 | $61,460 | $58,425 (−5.7%) |
| Software Developers | $101,690 | $126,610 | $120,358 (+18.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,170 | $78,080 | $74,225 (+13.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $87,530 | $84,040 | $79,890 (−8.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.