City comparison
New Orleans, LA vs Omaha, NE
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in New Orleans, LA (92.6) and Omaha, NE (91.9, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in New Orleans, LA goes as far as $99,300 in Omaha, NE.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,113 a month in New Orleans, LA and $1,148 in Omaha, NE.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,057 a year higher in Omaha, NE than in New Orleans, LA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.0% moving from New Orleans, LA to Omaha, NE ($106,437 → $107,501), while prices change by −0.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.8% in real buying power.
- New Orleans, LA: price level 92.6 (cheaper)
- Omaha, NE: price level 91.9 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| New Orleans, LA | Omaha, NE | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.6 | 91.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,259 in Omaha | $100,746 in New Orleans |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,113/mo | $1,148/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,566 | $75,510 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,614 (LA) | $3,670 (NE) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,290 | $49,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA |
Rent areas: New Orleans-Metairie, LA HUD Metro FMR Area and Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: New Orleans-Metairie, LA and Omaha, NE-IA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | New Orleans | Omaha |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.0 | 86.4 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 71.2 | 76.4 |
| Other services | 95.7 | 93.0 |
| Overall | 92.6 | 91.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
New Orleans, LA → Omaha, NE
Roughly even
Buying power +0.7%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,057/yr.
71 Strong offer
Omaha, NE → New Orleans, LA
Roughly even
Buying power −0.7%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,057/yr.
66 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
New Orleans, LA is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Omaha, NE is in Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA. The last column shows what a transfer from New Orleans, LA to Omaha, NE at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | New Orleans, LA | Omaha, NE | Real change, New Orleans → Omaha |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,339 | +1.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,425 | +1.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,402 | +1.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $107,501 | +1.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $127,033 | +1.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | New Orleans, LA | Omaha, NE | Omaha pay in New Orleans dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,350 | $62,670 | $63,138 (+4.6%) |
| Software Developers | $106,950 | $125,220 | $126,155 (+18.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,940 | $77,030 | $77,605 (−0.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,850 | $84,600 | $85,231 (+4.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.