City comparison
Denver, CO vs Lincoln, NE
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Denver, CO are 15.5% higher than in Lincoln, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Lincoln, NE would need about $115,500 in Denver, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,754 a month in Denver, CO versus $926 in Lincoln, NE. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Denver, 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 −10.3% moving from Denver, CO to Lincoln, NE ($118,675 → $106,437), while prices change by −13.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.6% in real buying power.
- Denver, CO: price level 105.8 (pricier)
- 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
| Denver, CO | Lincoln, NE | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.8 | 91.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $86,575 in Lincoln | $115,506 in Denver |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,754/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 | 28% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $62,320 | $49,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO MSA and Lincoln, NE HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO and Lincoln, NE.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Denver | Lincoln |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 146.9 | 84.2 |
| Goods | 101.0 | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 87.9 | 76.8 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 93.0 |
| Overall | 105.8 | 91.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Denver, CO → Lincoln, NE
Same pay goes further
Buying power +15.5%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$21/yr.
100 Strong offer
Lincoln, NE → Denver, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −13.4%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$21/yr.
33 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Denver, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Lincoln, NE is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Denver, CO to Lincoln, NE at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Denver, CO | Lincoln, NE | Real change, Denver → Lincoln |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $61,722 | +3.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $74,678 | +3.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $89,508 | +3.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $106,437 | +3.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $125,776 | +3.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Denver, CO | Lincoln, NE | Lincoln pay in Denver dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,910 | $61,940 | $71,545 (−7.0%) |
| Software Developers | $137,610 | $101,690 | $117,459 (−14.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $100,020 | $65,170 | $75,276 (−24.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,130 | $87,530 | $101,103 (−0.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.