City comparison
Des Moines, IA vs Lincoln, NE
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Des Moines, IA (91.7) and Lincoln, NE (91.6, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Des Moines, IA goes as far as $99,900 in Lincoln, NE.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,109 a month in Des Moines, IA versus $926 in Lincoln, NE. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Des Moines, IA and 15% in Lincoln, NE.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $522 a year higher in Lincoln, NE than in Des Moines, IA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.8% moving from Des Moines, IA to Lincoln, NE ($107,301 → $106,437), while prices change by −0.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.7% in real buying power.
- Des Moines, IA: price level 91.7 (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
| Des Moines, IA | Lincoln, NE | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.7 | 91.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,869 in Lincoln | $100,131 in Des Moines |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,109/mo | $926/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,032 | $75,510 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,148 (IA) | $3,670 (NE) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,820 | $49,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA HUD Metro FMR Area and Lincoln, NE HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA and Lincoln, NE.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Des Moines | Lincoln |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 84.7 | 84.2 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 84.6 | 76.8 |
| Other services | 92.9 | 93.0 |
| Overall | 91.7 | 91.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Des Moines, IA → Lincoln, NE
Roughly even
Buying power +0.1%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$522/yr.
69 Fair offer
Lincoln, NE → Des Moines, IA
Roughly even
Buying power −0.1%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$522/yr.
68 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Des Moines, IA is in the Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA pay area; Lincoln, NE is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Des Moines, IA to Lincoln, NE at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Des Moines, IA | Lincoln, NE | Real change, Des Moines → Lincoln |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,223 | $61,722 | −0.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,284 | $74,678 | −0.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,234 | $89,508 | −0.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,301 | $106,437 | −0.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,797 | $125,776 | −0.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Des Moines, IA | Lincoln, NE | Lincoln pay in Des Moines dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,650 | $61,940 | $62,021 (+0.6%) |
| Software Developers | $126,460 | $101,690 | $101,823 (−19.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,290 | $65,170 | $65,255 (−17.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $78,630 | $87,530 | $87,645 (+11.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.