City comparison
Lincoln, NE vs Youngstown, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Lincoln, NE are 4.8% higher than in Youngstown, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Youngstown, OH would need about $104,800 in Lincoln, NE to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $926 a month in Lincoln, NE versus $771 in Youngstown, OH. On $100,000, that's 15% of take-home pay in Lincoln, NE and 12% in Youngstown, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,703 a year higher in Lincoln, NE than in Youngstown, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.4% moving from Lincoln, NE to Youngstown, OH ($106,437 → $111,138), while prices change by −4.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +9.4% in real buying power.
- Lincoln, NE: price level 91.6 (much cheaper)
- Youngstown, OH: price level 87.4 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Lincoln, NE | Youngstown, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.6 | 87.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,428 in Youngstown | $104,791 in Lincoln |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $926/mo | $771/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,510 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,670 (NE) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 12% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,800 | $43,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA |
Rent areas: Lincoln, NE HUD Metro FMR Area and Youngstown-Warren, OH MSA. Metro areas: Lincoln, NE and Youngstown-Warren, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lincoln | Youngstown |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 84.2 | 53.4 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 76.8 | 96.3 |
| Other services | 93.0 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 91.6 | 87.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lincoln, NE → Youngstown, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.8%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax −$1,703/yr.
84 Strong offer
Youngstown, OH → Lincoln, NE
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.6%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$1,703/yr.
54 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Lincoln, NE is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Youngstown, OH is in Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Lincoln, NE to Youngstown, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lincoln, NE | Youngstown, OH | Real change, Lincoln → Youngstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,448 | +9.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $77,977 | +9.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,461 | +9.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,138 | +9.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,331 | +9.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lincoln, NE | Youngstown, OH | Youngstown pay in Lincoln dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,940 | $72,560 | $76,036 (+22.8%) |
| Software Developers | $101,690 | $107,990 | $113,164 (+11.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,170 | $73,080 | $76,581 (+17.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $87,530 | $78,680 | $82,450 (−5.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.