City comparison
Omaha, NE vs Washington, DC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Washington, DC are 18.5% higher than in Omaha, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Omaha, NE would need about $118,500 in Washington, DC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,015 a month in Washington, DC versus $1,148 in Omaha, NE. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Washington, DC and 18% in Omaha, NE.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,861 a year higher in Washington, DC than in Omaha, NE.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +13.3% moving from Omaha, NE to Washington, DC ($107,501 → $121,785), while prices change by +18.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.4% in real buying power.
- Omaha, NE: price level 91.9 (much cheaper)
- Washington, DC: price level 108.9 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Omaha, NE | Washington, DC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.9 | 108.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $118,467 in Washington | $84,412 in Omaha |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,148/mo | $2,015/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,510 | $73,649 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,670 (NE) | $5,532 (DC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 33% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,660 | $71,060 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA |
Rent areas: Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA HUD Metro FMR Area and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Omaha, NE-IA and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Omaha | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.4 | 151.1 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 104.8 |
| Utilities | 76.4 | 106.7 |
| Other services | 93.0 | 102.3 |
| Overall | 91.9 | 108.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Omaha, NE → Washington, DC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −15.6%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax +$1,861/yr.
26 Weak offer
Washington, DC → Omaha, NE
Same pay goes further
Buying power +18.5%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$1,861/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Omaha, NE is in the Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA pay area; Washington, DC is in Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Omaha, NE to Washington, DC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Omaha, NE | Washington, DC | Real change, Omaha → Washington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,339 | $70,623 | −4.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,425 | $85,447 | −4.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,402 | $102,415 | −4.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,501 | $121,785 | −4.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,033 | $143,913 | −4.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Omaha, NE | Washington, DC | Washington pay in Omaha dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,670 | $79,470 | $67,082 (+7.0%) |
| Software Developers | $125,220 | $154,930 | $130,779 (+4.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,030 | $102,140 | $86,218 (+11.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,600 | $102,710 | $86,699 (+2.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.