City comparison
Omaha, NE vs Wichita, KS
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Omaha, NE are 3.3% higher than in Wichita, KS. Someone earning $100,000 in Wichita, KS would need about $103,300 in Omaha, NE to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,148 a month in Omaha, NE versus $849 in Wichita, KS. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Omaha, NE and 14% in Wichita, KS.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,110 a year higher in Wichita, KS than in Omaha, NE.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.0% moving from Omaha, NE to Wichita, KS ($107,501 → $106,437), while prices change by −3.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.3% in real buying power.
- Omaha, NE: price level 91.9 (much cheaper)
- Wichita, KS: price level 88.9 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Omaha, NE | Wichita, KS | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.9 | 88.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,774 in Wichita | $103,333 in Omaha |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,148/mo | $849/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,510 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,670 (NE) | $4,780 (KS) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,660 | $47,630 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA HUD Metro FMR Area and Wichita, KS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Omaha, NE-IA and Wichita, KS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Omaha | Wichita |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.4 | 66.2 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 94.0 |
| Utilities | 76.4 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 93.0 | 93.8 |
| Overall | 91.9 | 88.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Omaha, NE → Wichita, KS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.3%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$1,110/yr.
79 Strong offer
Wichita, KS → Omaha, NE
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.2%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$1,110/yr.
59 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Omaha, NE is in the Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA pay area; Wichita, KS is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Omaha, NE to Wichita, KS at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Omaha, NE | Wichita, KS | Real change, Omaha → Wichita |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,339 | $61,722 | +2.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,425 | $74,678 | +2.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,402 | $89,508 | +2.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,501 | $106,437 | +2.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,033 | $125,776 | +2.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Omaha, NE | Wichita, KS | Wichita pay in Omaha dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,670 | $58,640 | $60,595 (−3.3%) |
| Software Developers | $125,220 | $105,980 | $109,513 (−12.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,030 | $79,270 | $81,912 (+6.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,600 | $76,540 | $79,091 (−6.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.