City comparison
Omaha, NE vs Sacramento, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Sacramento, CA are 16.1% higher than in Omaha, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Omaha, NE would need about $116,100 in Sacramento, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,832 a month in Sacramento, CA versus $1,148 in Omaha, NE. On $100,000, that's 30% of take-home pay in Sacramento, CA and 18% in Omaha, NE.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,400 a year higher in Sacramento, CA than in Omaha, NE.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +9.8% moving from Omaha, NE to Sacramento, CA ($107,501 → $117,984), while prices change by +16.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.4% in real buying power.
- Omaha, NE: price level 91.9 (much cheaper)
- Sacramento, CA: price level 106.7 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Omaha, NE | Sacramento, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.9 | 106.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $116,058 in Sacramento | $86,164 in Omaha |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,148/mo | $1,832/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 | 18% | 30% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,660 | $59,750 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA | Sacramento-Roseville, CA-NV |
Rent areas: Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA HUD Metro FMR Area and Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Omaha, NE-IA and Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Omaha | Sacramento |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.4 | 130.2 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 76.4 | 151.3 |
| Other services | 93.0 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 91.9 | 106.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Omaha, NE → Sacramento, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −13.8%; rent takes 30% of take-home; state tax +$1,400/yr.
31 Weak offer
Sacramento, CA → Omaha, NE
Same pay goes further
Buying power +16.1%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$1,400/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Omaha, NE is in the Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA pay area; Sacramento, CA is in Sacramento-Roseville, CA-NV. The last column shows what a transfer from Omaha, NE to Sacramento, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Omaha, NE | Sacramento, CA | Real change, Omaha → Sacramento |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,339 | $68,419 | −5.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,425 | $82,780 | −5.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,402 | $99,218 | −5.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,501 | $117,984 | −5.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,033 | $139,422 | −5.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Omaha, NE | Sacramento, CA | Sacramento pay in Omaha dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,670 | $103,390 | $89,085 (+42.1%) |
| Software Developers | $125,220 | $139,640 | $120,319 (−3.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,030 | $92,110 | $79,366 (+3.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,600 | $171,460 | $147,737 (+74.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.