City comparison
Lincoln, NE vs Vallejo, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Vallejo, CA are 18.5% higher than in Lincoln, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Lincoln, NE would need about $118,500 in Vallejo, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,705 a month in Vallejo, CA versus $926 in Lincoln, NE. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Vallejo, CA and 15% in Lincoln, NE.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,400 a year higher in Vallejo, CA than in Lincoln, NE.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +25.0% moving from Lincoln, NE to Vallejo, CA ($106,437 → $133,060), while prices change by +18.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.5% in real buying power.
- Lincoln, NE: price level 91.6 (much cheaper)
- Vallejo, CA: price level 108.5 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Lincoln, NE | Vallejo, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.6 | 108.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $118,451 in Vallejo | $84,423 in Lincoln |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $926/mo | $1,705/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% | 28% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,800 | $58,620 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA |
Rent areas: Lincoln, NE HUD Metro FMR Area and Vallejo, CA MSA. Metro areas: Lincoln, NE and Vallejo, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lincoln | Vallejo |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 84.2 | 142.0 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 76.8 | 155.0 |
| Other services | 93.0 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 91.6 | 108.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lincoln, NE → Vallejo, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −15.6%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$1,400/yr.
34 Weak offer
Vallejo, CA → Lincoln, NE
Same pay goes further
Buying power +18.5%; 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; Vallejo, CA is in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Lincoln, NE to Vallejo, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lincoln, NE | Vallejo, CA | Real change, Lincoln → Vallejo |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $77,161 | +5.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $93,358 | +5.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $111,896 | +5.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $133,060 | +5.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $157,236 | +5.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lincoln, NE | Vallejo, CA | Vallejo pay in Lincoln dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,940 | $100,790 | $85,090 (+37.4%) |
| Software Developers | $101,690 | $136,930 | $115,600 (+13.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,170 | $95,800 | $80,877 (+24.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $87,530 | $203,290 | $171,623 (+96.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.