City comparison
College Station, TX vs Lincoln, NE
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in College Station, TX (91.0) and Lincoln, NE (91.6, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in College Station, TX goes as far as $100,700 in Lincoln, NE.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,082 a month in College Station, TX versus $926 in Lincoln, NE. On $100,000, that's 16% of take-home pay in College Station, TX and 15% in Lincoln, NE.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,670 a year higher in Lincoln, NE than in College Station, TX.
- 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 College Station, TX to Lincoln, NE changes real buying power by −0.7%, purely from prices.
- College Station, TX: price level 91.0 (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
| College Station, TX | Lincoln, NE | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.0 | 91.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,693 in Lincoln | $99,312 in College Station |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,082/mo | $926/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,510 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $3,670 (NE) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,470 | $49,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: College Station-Bryan, TX MSA and Lincoln, NE HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: College Station-Bryan, TX and Lincoln, NE.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | College Station | Lincoln |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 75.1 | 84.2 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 84.4 | 76.8 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 93.0 |
| Overall | 91.0 | 91.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
College Station, TX → Lincoln, NE
Roughly even
Buying power −0.7%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$3,670/yr.
67 Fair offer
Lincoln, NE → College Station, TX
Roughly even
Buying power +0.7%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$3,670/yr.
71 Strong 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 College Station, TX to Lincoln, NE at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | College Station, TX | Lincoln, NE | Real change, College Station → Lincoln |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −0.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −0.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −0.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −0.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −0.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | College Station, TX | Lincoln, NE | Lincoln pay in College Station dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $57,870 | $61,940 | $61,514 (+6.3%) |
| Software Developers | $101,910 | $101,690 | $100,990 (−0.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $71,810 | $65,170 | $64,722 (−9.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,090 | $87,530 | $86,928 (+4.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.