City comparison
Omaha, NE vs Raleigh, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Raleigh, NC are 6.8% higher than in Omaha, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Omaha, NE would need about $106,800 in Raleigh, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,596 a month in Raleigh, NC versus $1,148 in Omaha, NE. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Raleigh, NC and 18% in Omaha, NE.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,670 a year in NE and $3,481 in NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.4% moving from Omaha, NE to Raleigh, NC ($107,501 → $111,147), while prices change by +6.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.2% in real buying power.
- Omaha, NE: price level 91.9 (much cheaper)
- Raleigh, NC: price level 98.2 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Omaha, NE | Raleigh, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.9 | 98.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,796 in Raleigh | $93,637 in Omaha |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,148/mo | $1,596/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,510 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,670 (NE) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,660 | $51,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC |
Rent areas: Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA HUD Metro FMR Area and Raleigh-Cary, NC MSA. Metro areas: Omaha, NE-IA and Raleigh-Cary, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Omaha | Raleigh |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.4 | 103.5 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 76.4 | 89.0 |
| Other services | 93.0 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 91.9 | 98.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Omaha, NE → Raleigh, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.4%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$189/yr.
48 Fair offer
Raleigh, NC → Omaha, NE
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.8%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$189/yr.
90 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Omaha, NE is in the Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA pay area; Raleigh, NC is in Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Omaha, NE to Raleigh, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Omaha, NE | Raleigh, NC | Real change, Omaha → Raleigh |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,339 | $64,453 | −3.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,425 | $77,983 | −3.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,402 | $93,468 | −3.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,501 | $111,147 | −3.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,033 | $131,342 | −3.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Omaha, NE | Raleigh, NC | Raleigh pay in Omaha dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,670 | $60,170 | $56,341 (−10.1%) |
| Software Developers | $125,220 | $132,770 | $124,321 (−0.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,030 | $81,950 | $76,735 (−0.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,600 | $84,830 | $79,432 (−6.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.