City comparison
Lincoln, NE vs Scranton, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Scranton, PA are 2.2% higher than in Lincoln, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Lincoln, NE would need about $102,200 in Scranton, PA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,028 a month in Scranton, PA versus $926 in Lincoln, NE. On $100,000, that's 16% of take-home pay in Scranton, PA and 15% in Lincoln, NE.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $600 a year higher in Lincoln, NE than in Scranton, PA.
- 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 Scranton, PA changes real buying power by −2.1%, purely from prices.
- Lincoln, NE: price level 91.6 (much cheaper)
- Scranton, PA: price level 93.6 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Lincoln, NE | Scranton, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.6 | 93.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,157 in Scranton | $97,889 in Lincoln |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $926/mo | $1,028/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,510 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,670 (NE) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,800 | $46,330 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Lincoln, NE HUD Metro FMR Area and Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA MSA. Metro areas: Lincoln, NE and Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lincoln | Scranton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 84.2 | 67.0 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 76.8 | 106.5 |
| Other services | 93.0 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 91.6 | 93.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lincoln, NE → Scranton, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.1%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$600/yr.
62 Fair offer
Scranton, PA → Lincoln, NE
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.2%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$600/yr.
75 Strong offer
Federal employees: GS pay
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 Scranton, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lincoln, NE | Scranton, PA | Real change, Lincoln → Scranton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −2.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −2.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −2.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −2.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −2.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lincoln, NE | Scranton, PA | Scranton pay in Lincoln dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $78,190 | $100,210 | $98,095 (+25.5%) |
| Software Developers | $101,690 | $119,960 | $117,428 (+15.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,170 | $70,480 | $68,992 (+5.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $87,530 | $82,650 | $80,905 (−7.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.