City comparison
Buffalo, NY vs Lincoln, NE
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Buffalo, NY are 4.7% higher than in Lincoln, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Lincoln, NE would need about $104,700 in Buffalo, NY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,139 a month in Buffalo, NY versus $926 in Lincoln, NE. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Buffalo, NY and 15% in Lincoln, NE.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,189 a year higher in Buffalo, NY than in Lincoln, NE.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.4% moving from Buffalo, NY to Lincoln, NE ($111,301 → $106,437), while prices change by −4.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.1% in real buying power.
- Buffalo, NY: price level 95.8 (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
| Buffalo, NY | Lincoln, NE | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.8 | 91.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,552 in Lincoln | $104,655 in Buffalo |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,139/mo | $926/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $75,510 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $3,670 (NE) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,790 | $49,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY MSA and Lincoln, NE HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY and Lincoln, NE.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Buffalo | Lincoln |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 81.0 | 84.2 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 129.5 | 76.8 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 93.0 |
| Overall | 95.8 | 91.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Buffalo, NY → Lincoln, NE
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.7%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$1,189/yr.
83 Strong offer
Lincoln, NE → Buffalo, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.4%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,189/yr.
55 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Buffalo, NY is in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY pay area; Lincoln, NE is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Buffalo, NY to Lincoln, NE at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Buffalo, NY | Lincoln, NE | Real change, Buffalo → Lincoln |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,543 | $61,722 | +0.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,091 | $74,678 | +0.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,598 | $89,508 | +0.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,301 | $106,437 | +0.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,525 | $125,776 | +0.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Buffalo, NY | Lincoln, NE | Lincoln pay in Buffalo dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,490 | $61,940 | $64,823 (−15.3%) |
| Software Developers | $127,850 | $101,690 | $106,424 (−16.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,120 | $65,170 | $68,204 (−16.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,060 | $87,530 | $91,604 (−7.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.