City comparison
Omaha, NE vs Spokane, WA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Spokane, WA are 9.2% higher than in Omaha, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Omaha, NE would need about $109,200 in Spokane, WA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,148 a month in Omaha, NE and $1,193 in Spokane, WA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,670 a year higher in Omaha, NE than in Spokane, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.5% moving from Omaha, NE to Spokane, WA ($107,501 → $106,991), while prices change by +9.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −8.8% in real buying power.
- Omaha, NE: price level 91.9 (much cheaper)
- Spokane, WA: price level 100.3 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Omaha, NE | Spokane, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.9 | 100.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $109,177 in Spokane | $91,594 in Omaha |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,148/mo | $1,193/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,510 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,670 (NE) | $0 (WA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,660 | $54,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA | Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene, WA-ID |
Rent areas: Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA HUD Metro FMR Area and Spokane, WA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Omaha, NE-IA and Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Omaha | Spokane |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.4 | 97.1 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 105.0 |
| Utilities | 76.4 | 91.2 |
| Other services | 93.0 | 99.5 |
| Overall | 91.9 | 100.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Omaha, NE → Spokane, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.4%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$3,670/yr.
42 Weak offer
Spokane, WA → Omaha, NE
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.2%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$3,670/yr.
97 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Omaha, NE is in the Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA pay area; Spokane, WA is in Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene, WA-ID. The last column shows what a transfer from Omaha, NE to Spokane, WA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Omaha, NE | Spokane, WA | Real change, Omaha → Spokane |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,339 | $62,044 | −8.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,425 | $75,068 | −8.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,402 | $89,974 | −8.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,501 | $106,991 | −8.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,033 | $126,432 | −8.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Omaha, NE | Spokane, WA | Spokane pay in Omaha dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,670 | $98,800 | $90,495 (+44.4%) |
| Software Developers | $125,220 | $130,690 | $119,704 (−4.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,030 | $86,350 | $79,091 (+2.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,600 | $111,750 | $102,356 (+21.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.