City comparison
Lincoln, NE vs New York, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in New York, NY are 22.9% higher than in Lincoln, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Lincoln, NE would need about $122,900 in New York, NY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,655 a month in New York, NY versus $926 in Lincoln, NE. On $100,000, that's 43% of take-home pay in New York, NY and 15% in Lincoln, NE.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,189 a year higher in New York, NY than in Lincoln, NE.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +17.8% moving from Lincoln, NE to New York, NY ($106,437 → $125,431), while prices change by +22.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.1% in real buying power.
- Lincoln, NE: price level 91.6 (much cheaper)
- New York, NY: price level 112.6 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Lincoln, NE | New York, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.6 | 112.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $122,911 in New York | $81,360 in Lincoln |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $926/mo | $2,655/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,510 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,670 (NE) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 43% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,800 | $61,430 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Lincoln, NE HUD Metro FMR Area and New York, NY HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Lincoln, NE and New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lincoln | New York |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 84.2 | 148.6 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 110.3 |
| Utilities | 76.8 | 127.0 |
| Other services | 93.0 | 105.8 |
| Overall | 91.6 | 112.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lincoln, NE → New York, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −18.6%; rent takes 43% of take-home; state tax +$1,189/yr.
11 Weak offer
New York, NY → Lincoln, NE
Same pay goes further
Buying power +22.9%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$1,189/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Lincoln, NE is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; New York, NY is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Lincoln, NE to New York, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lincoln, NE | New York, NY | Real change, Lincoln → New York |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $72,737 | −4.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $88,005 | −4.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $105,481 | −4.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $125,431 | −4.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $148,222 | −4.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lincoln, NE | New York, NY | New York pay in Lincoln dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,940 | $96,900 | $78,838 (+27.3%) |
| Software Developers | $101,690 | $166,830 | $135,733 (+33.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,170 | $105,650 | $85,957 (+31.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $87,530 | $119,720 | $97,404 (+11.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.