City comparison
Birmingham, AL vs Omaha, 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 Omaha, NE (91.9, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Birmingham, AL goes as far as $100,300 in Omaha, NE.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,155 a month in Birmingham, AL and $1,148 in Omaha, NE.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,065 a year higher in Birmingham, AL than in Omaha, NE.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.0% moving from Birmingham, AL to Omaha, NE ($107,510 → $107,501), while prices change by +0.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.3% in real buying power.
- Birmingham, AL: price level 91.6 (much cheaper)
- Omaha, NE: price level 91.9 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Birmingham, AL | Omaha, NE | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.6 | 91.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,291 in Omaha | $99,710 in Birmingham |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,155/mo | $1,148/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% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,770 | $49,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL | Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA |
Rent areas: Birmingham-Hoover, AL HUD Metro FMR Area and Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Birmingham, AL and Omaha, NE-IA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Birmingham | Omaha |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 71.9 | 86.4 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 83.8 | 76.4 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 93.0 |
| Overall | 91.6 | 91.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Birmingham, AL → Omaha, NE
Roughly even
Buying power −0.3%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$1,065/yr.
68 Fair offer
Omaha, NE → Birmingham, AL
Roughly even
Buying power +0.3%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$1,065/yr.
70 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Birmingham, AL is in the Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL pay area; Omaha, NE is in Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA. The last column shows what a transfer from Birmingham, AL to Omaha, NE at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Birmingham, AL | Omaha, NE | Real change, Birmingham → Omaha |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,344 | $62,339 | −0.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,431 | $75,425 | −0.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,410 | $90,402 | −0.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,510 | $107,501 | −0.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,044 | $127,033 | −0.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Birmingham, AL | Omaha, NE | Omaha pay in Birmingham dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,630 | $62,670 | $62,488 (−0.2%) |
| Software Developers | $125,410 | $125,220 | $124,856 (−0.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,660 | $77,030 | $76,806 (−2.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $78,680 | $84,600 | $84,354 (+7.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.