City comparison
Birmingham, AL vs Lincoln, NE
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Birmingham, AL (91.6) and Lincoln, NE (91.6, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Birmingham, AL goes as far as $99,900 in Lincoln, NE.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,155 a month in Birmingham, AL versus $926 in Lincoln, NE. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Birmingham, AL and 15% in Lincoln, NE.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,065 a year higher in Birmingham, AL than in Lincoln, NE.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.0% moving from Birmingham, AL to Lincoln, NE ($107,510 → $106,437), while prices change by −0.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.9% in real buying power.
- Birmingham, AL: price level 91.6 (much cheaper)
- Lincoln, NE: price level 91.6 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Birmingham, AL | Lincoln, NE | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.6 | 91.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,931 in Lincoln | $100,069 in Birmingham |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,155/mo | $926/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,445 | $75,510 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,735 (AL) | $3,670 (NE) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,770 | $49,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Birmingham-Hoover, AL HUD Metro FMR Area and Lincoln, NE HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Birmingham, AL and Lincoln, NE.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Birmingham | Lincoln |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 71.9 | 84.2 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 83.8 | 76.8 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 93.0 |
| Overall | 91.6 | 91.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Birmingham, AL → Lincoln, NE
Roughly even
Buying power +0.1%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$1,065/yr.
69 Fair offer
Lincoln, NE → Birmingham, AL
Roughly even
Buying power −0.1%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$1,065/yr.
69 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Birmingham, AL is in the Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL pay area; Lincoln, NE is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Birmingham, AL to Lincoln, NE at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Birmingham, AL | Lincoln, NE | Real change, Birmingham → Lincoln |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,344 | $61,722 | −0.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,431 | $74,678 | −0.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,410 | $89,508 | −0.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,510 | $106,437 | −0.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,044 | $125,776 | −0.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Birmingham, AL | Lincoln, NE | Lincoln pay in Birmingham dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,630 | $61,940 | $61,983 (−1.0%) |
| Software Developers | $125,410 | $101,690 | $101,760 (−18.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,660 | $65,170 | $65,215 (−17.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $78,680 | $87,530 | $87,590 (+11.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.