City comparison
Boise City, ID vs Lincoln, NE
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boise City, ID are 7.4% higher than in Lincoln, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Lincoln, NE would need about $107,400 in Boise City, ID to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,381 a month in Boise City, ID versus $926 in Lincoln, NE. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Boise City, ID and 15% in Lincoln, NE.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $521 a year higher in Boise City, ID than in Lincoln, NE.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Boise City, ID to Lincoln, NE changes real buying power by +7.4%, purely from prices.
- Boise City, ID: price level 98.4 (about average)
- 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
| Boise City, ID | Lincoln, NE | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.4 | 91.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,079 in Lincoln | $107,436 in Boise City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,381/mo | $926/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,988 | $75,510 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,192 (ID) | $3,670 (NE) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,100 | $49,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Boise City, ID HUD Metro FMR Area and Lincoln, NE HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Boise City, ID and Lincoln, NE.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boise City | Lincoln |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.6 | 84.2 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 70.7 | 76.8 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 93.0 |
| Overall | 98.4 | 91.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boise City, ID → Lincoln, NE
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.4%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$521/yr.
92 Strong offer
Lincoln, NE → Boise City, ID
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.9%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$521/yr.
47 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Boise City, ID to Lincoln, NE at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boise City, ID | Lincoln, NE | Real change, Boise City → Lincoln |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +7.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +7.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +7.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +7.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +7.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boise City, ID | Lincoln, NE | Lincoln pay in Boise City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,230 | $61,940 | $66,546 (+8.7%) |
| Software Developers | $131,590 | $101,690 | $109,252 (−17.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,700 | $65,170 | $70,016 (−8.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,880 | $87,530 | $94,039 (−3.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.