City comparison

Lincoln, NE vs New Orleans, LA

What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.

Key findings

Prices in New Orleans, LA are 1.1% higher than in Lincoln, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Lincoln, NE would need about $101,100 in New Orleans, LA to live the same way.
Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,113 a month in New Orleans, LA versus $926 in Lincoln, NE. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in New Orleans, LA and 15% in Lincoln, NE.
On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,057 a year higher in Lincoln, NE than in New Orleans, LA.
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 New Orleans, LA changes real buying power by −1.1%, purely from prices.

LincolnNew Orleans

Price level (U.S. = 100):Under 9292–9898–102102–108Over 108

Lincoln, NE: price level 91.6 (much cheaper)
New Orleans, LA: price level 92.6 (cheaper)

Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations^9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels².

Side by side

	Lincoln, NE	New Orleans, LA
Price level (U.S. = 100)²	91.6	92.6
$100,000 is worth, in the other city²	$101,109 in New Orleans	$98,903 in Lincoln
Typical 1-bedroom rent³	$926/mo	$1,113/mo
Take-home on $100,000^14,15,8	$75,510	$76,566
State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)⁸	$3,670 (NE)	$2,614 (LA)
Rent burden on $100,000	15%	17%
Median pay, all jobs⁴	$49,800	$47,290
Federal locality pay area⁷	Rest of U.S.	Rest of U.S.

Rent areas: Lincoln, NE HUD Metro FMR Area and New Orleans-Metairie, LA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Lincoln, NE and New Orleans-Metairie, LA.

What costs more or less

Lincoln, NENew Orleans, LA

Price level (U.S. = 100)	Lincoln	New Orleans
Housing (rent)	84.2	86.0
Goods	94.1	93.7
Utilities	76.8	71.2
Other services	93.0	95.7
Overall	91.6	92.6

BEA Regional Price Parities². Housing covers rents.

Moving with the same $100,000 salary

Lincoln, NE → New Orleans, LA

Roughly even

Buying power −1.1%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,057/yr.

65 Fair offer

New Orleans, LA → Lincoln, NE

Roughly even

Buying power +1.1%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$1,057/yr.

72 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 New Orleans, LA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.

Grade^5,2	Lincoln, NE	New Orleans, LA	Real change, Lincoln → New Orleans
GS-9 step 1	$61,722	$61,722	−1.1%
GS-11 step 1	$74,678	$74,678	−1.1%
GS-12 step 1	$89,508	$89,508	−1.1%
GS-13 step 1	$106,437	$106,437	−1.1%
GS-14 step 1	$125,776	$125,776	−1.1%

Pay for common jobs

Median annual pay⁴	Lincoln, NE	New Orleans, LA	New Orleans pay in Lincoln dollars
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education	$61,940	$60,350	$59,688 (−3.6%)
Software Developers	$101,690	$106,950	$105,777 (+4.0%)
Accountants and Auditors	$65,170	$77,940	$77,085 (+18.3%)
Registered Nurses	$87,530	$81,850	$80,952 (−7.5%)

"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.

Taxes are estimates for a single filer taking the standard deduction; city and county income taxes are not included. See the methodology.