City comparison
Lincoln, NE vs Phoenix, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Phoenix, AZ are 12.8% higher than in Lincoln, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Lincoln, NE would need about $112,800 in Phoenix, AZ to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,583 a month in Phoenix, AZ versus $926 in Lincoln, NE. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Phoenix, AZ and 15% in Lincoln, NE.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,379 a year higher in Lincoln, NE than in Phoenix, AZ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.6% moving from Lincoln, NE to Phoenix, AZ ($106,437 → $111,338), while prices change by +12.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −7.3% in real buying power.
- Lincoln, NE: price level 91.6 (much cheaper)
- Phoenix, AZ: price level 103.3 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Lincoln, NE | Phoenix, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.6 | 103.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $112,814 in Phoenix | $88,642 in Lincoln |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $926/mo | $1,583/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,510 | $76,889 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,670 (NE) | $2,291 (AZ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,800 | $51,380 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Phoenix-Mesa, AZ |
Rent areas: Lincoln, NE HUD Metro FMR Area and Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ MSA. Metro areas: Lincoln, NE and Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lincoln | Phoenix |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 84.2 | 121.2 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 95.0 |
| Utilities | 76.8 | 93.3 |
| Other services | 93.0 | 104.0 |
| Overall | 91.6 | 103.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lincoln, NE → Phoenix, AZ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.4%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$1,379/yr.
38 Weak offer
Phoenix, AZ → Lincoln, NE
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.8%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$1,379/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Lincoln, NE is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Phoenix, AZ is in Phoenix-Mesa, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Lincoln, NE to Phoenix, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lincoln, NE | Phoenix, AZ | Real change, Lincoln → Phoenix |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,564 | −7.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $78,117 | −7.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,629 | −7.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,338 | −7.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,568 | −7.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lincoln, NE | Phoenix, AZ | Phoenix pay in Lincoln dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,940 | $59,180 | $52,458 (−15.3%) |
| Software Developers | $101,690 | $131,750 | $116,785 (+14.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,170 | $80,820 | $71,640 (+9.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $87,530 | $100,830 | $89,377 (+2.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.