City comparison
Lincoln, NE vs Riverside, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Riverside, CA are 16.2% higher than in Lincoln, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Lincoln, NE would need about $116,200 in Riverside, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,777 a month in Riverside, CA versus $926 in Lincoln, NE. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Riverside, CA and 15% in Lincoln, NE.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,400 a year higher in Riverside, CA than in Lincoln, NE.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +16.6% moving from Lincoln, NE to Riverside, CA ($106,437 → $124,085), while prices change by +16.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.3% in real buying power.
- Lincoln, NE: price level 91.6 (much cheaper)
- Riverside, CA: price level 106.4 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Lincoln, NE | Riverside, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.6 | 106.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $116,227 in Riverside | $86,038 in Lincoln |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $926/mo | $1,777/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,510 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,670 (NE) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 29% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,800 | $48,400 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA |
Rent areas: Lincoln, NE HUD Metro FMR Area and Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA MSA. Metro areas: Lincoln, NE and Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lincoln | Riverside |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 84.2 | 129.3 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 101.4 |
| Utilities | 76.8 | 148.6 |
| Other services | 93.0 | 101.3 |
| Overall | 91.6 | 106.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lincoln, NE → Riverside, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −14.0%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax +$1,400/yr.
32 Weak offer
Riverside, CA → Lincoln, NE
Same pay goes further
Buying power +16.2%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$1,400/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Lincoln, NE is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Riverside, CA is in Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Lincoln, NE to Riverside, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lincoln, NE | Riverside, CA | Real change, Lincoln → Riverside |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $71,957 | +0.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $87,061 | +0.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $104,349 | +0.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $124,085 | +0.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $146,632 | +0.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lincoln, NE | Riverside, CA | Riverside pay in Lincoln dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,940 | $98,520 | $84,765 (+36.9%) |
| Software Developers | $101,690 | $133,270 | $114,663 (+12.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,170 | $83,920 | $72,203 (+10.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $87,530 | $133,940 | $115,240 (+31.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.