City comparison
Cincinnati, OH vs Lincoln, NE
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Cincinnati, OH are 4.1% higher than in Lincoln, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Lincoln, NE would need about $104,100 in Cincinnati, OH to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,051 a month in Cincinnati, OH versus $926 in Lincoln, NE. On $100,000, that's 16% of take-home pay in Cincinnati, OH and 15% in Lincoln, NE.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,703 a year higher in Lincoln, NE than in Cincinnati, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.0% moving from Cincinnati, OH to Lincoln, NE ($110,865 → $106,437), while prices change by −4.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.0% in real buying power.
- Cincinnati, OH: price level 95.4 (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
| Cincinnati, OH | Lincoln, NE | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.4 | 91.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,027 in Lincoln | $104,137 in Cincinnati |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,051/mo | $926/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $75,510 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $3,670 (NE) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,170 | $49,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Lincoln, NE HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN and Lincoln, NE.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cincinnati | Lincoln |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.6 | 84.2 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 91.0 | 76.8 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 93.0 |
| Overall | 95.4 | 91.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cincinnati, OH → Lincoln, NE
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.1%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$1,703/yr.
82 Strong offer
Lincoln, NE → Cincinnati, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.0%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,703/yr.
56 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cincinnati, OH is in the Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN pay area; Lincoln, NE is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Cincinnati, OH to Lincoln, NE at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cincinnati, OH | Lincoln, NE | Real change, Cincinnati → Lincoln |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,290 | $61,722 | −0.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,785 | $74,678 | −0.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,231 | $89,508 | −0.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,865 | $106,437 | −0.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,009 | $125,776 | −0.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cincinnati, OH | Lincoln, NE | Lincoln pay in Cincinnati dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,740 | $61,940 | $64,503 (−0.4%) |
| Software Developers | $121,420 | $101,690 | $105,897 (−12.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,640 | $65,170 | $67,866 (−15.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,650 | $87,530 | $91,151 (+9.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.