City comparison
Lincoln, NE vs Tallahassee, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Tallahassee, FL are 2.6% higher than in Lincoln, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Lincoln, NE would need about $102,600 in Tallahassee, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,204 a month in Tallahassee, FL versus $926 in Lincoln, NE. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Tallahassee, FL and 15% in Lincoln, NE.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,670 a year higher in Lincoln, NE than in Tallahassee, FL.
- 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 Tallahassee, FL changes real buying power by −2.5%, purely from prices.
- Lincoln, NE: price level 91.6 (much cheaper)
- Tallahassee, FL: price level 93.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Lincoln, NE | Tallahassee, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.6 | 93.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,553 in Tallahassee | $97,511 in Lincoln |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $926/mo | $1,204/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,510 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,670 (NE) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,800 | $46,520 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Lincoln, NE HUD Metro FMR Area and Tallahassee, FL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Lincoln, NE and Tallahassee, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lincoln | Tallahassee |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 84.2 | 78.5 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 76.8 | 87.5 |
| Other services | 93.0 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 91.6 | 93.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lincoln, NE → Tallahassee, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.5%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$3,670/yr.
61 Fair offer
Tallahassee, FL → Lincoln, NE
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.6%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$3,670/yr.
77 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
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 Tallahassee, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lincoln, NE | Tallahassee, FL | Real change, Lincoln → Tallahassee |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −2.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −2.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −2.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −2.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −2.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lincoln, NE | Tallahassee, FL | Tallahassee pay in Lincoln dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,940 | $55,020 | $53,650 (−13.4%) |
| Software Developers | $101,690 | $121,800 | $118,768 (+16.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,170 | $61,840 | $60,301 (−7.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $87,530 | $79,430 | $77,453 (−11.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.