City comparison
Lincoln, NE vs Omaha, NE
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Lincoln, NE (91.6) and Omaha, NE (91.9, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Lincoln, NE goes as far as $100,400 in Omaha, NE.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,148 a month in Omaha, NE versus $926 in Lincoln, NE. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Omaha, NE and 15% in Lincoln, NE.
- Both are in NE, so estimated state income tax is the same: $3,670 a year on $100,000.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.0% moving from Lincoln, NE to Omaha, NE ($106,437 → $107,501), while prices change by +0.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.6% in real buying power.
- Lincoln, NE: price level 91.6 (much cheaper)
- Omaha, NE: price level 91.9 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Lincoln, NE | Omaha, NE | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.6 | 91.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,360 in Omaha | $99,641 in Lincoln |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $926/mo | $1,148/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,510 | $75,510 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,670 (NE) | $3,670 (NE) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,800 | $49,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA |
Rent areas: Lincoln, NE HUD Metro FMR Area and Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Lincoln, NE and Omaha, NE-IA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lincoln | Omaha |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 84.2 | 86.4 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 76.8 | 76.4 |
| Other services | 93.0 | 93.0 |
| Overall | 91.6 | 91.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lincoln, NE → Omaha, NE
Roughly even
Buying power −0.4%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
68 Fair offer
Omaha, NE → Lincoln, NE
Roughly even
Buying power +0.4%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
70 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Lincoln, NE is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Omaha, NE is in Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA. The last column shows what a transfer from Lincoln, NE to Omaha, NE at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lincoln, NE | Omaha, NE | Real change, Lincoln → Omaha |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,339 | +0.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,425 | +0.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,402 | +0.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $107,501 | +0.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $127,033 | +0.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lincoln, NE | Omaha, NE | Omaha pay in Lincoln dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,940 | $62,670 | $62,445 (+0.8%) |
| Software Developers | $101,690 | $125,220 | $124,770 (+22.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,170 | $77,030 | $76,753 (+17.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $87,530 | $84,600 | $84,296 (−3.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.