City comparison
Colorado Springs, CO vs Lincoln, NE
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Colorado Springs, CO are 10.0% higher than in Lincoln, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Lincoln, NE would need about $110,000 in Colorado Springs, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,464 a month in Colorado Springs, CO versus $926 in Lincoln, NE. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Colorado Springs, CO and 15% in Lincoln, NE.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,692 a year in CO and $3,670 in NE.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.6% moving from Colorado Springs, CO to Lincoln, NE ($109,246 → $106,437), while prices change by −9.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.1% in real buying power.
- Colorado Springs, CO: price level 100.7 (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
| Colorado Springs, CO | Lincoln, NE | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.7 | 91.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,938 in Lincoln | $109,965 in Colorado Springs |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,464/mo | $926/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $75,510 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $3,670 (NE) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $52,710 | $49,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Colorado Springs, CO | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Colorado Springs, CO HUD Metro FMR Area and Lincoln, NE HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Colorado Springs, CO and Lincoln, NE.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Colorado Springs | Lincoln |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 116.2 | 84.2 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 83.2 | 76.8 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 93.0 |
| Overall | 100.7 | 91.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Colorado Springs, CO → Lincoln, NE
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.0%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$21/yr.
100 Strong offer
Lincoln, NE → Colorado Springs, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.1%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$21/yr.
40 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Colorado Springs, CO is in the Colorado Springs, CO pay area; Lincoln, NE is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Colorado Springs, CO to Lincoln, NE at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Colorado Springs, CO | Lincoln, NE | Real change, Colorado Springs → Lincoln |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,351 | $61,722 | +7.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,650 | $74,678 | +7.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,870 | $89,508 | +7.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,246 | $106,437 | +7.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $129,096 | $125,776 | +7.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Colorado Springs, CO | Lincoln, NE | Lincoln pay in Colorado Springs dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,140 | $61,940 | $68,112 (+11.4%) |
| Software Developers | $134,280 | $101,690 | $111,823 (−16.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,000 | $65,170 | $71,664 (−15.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,140 | $87,530 | $96,252 (+0.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.