City comparison
Durham, NC vs Omaha, NE
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Durham, NC are 6.2% higher than in Omaha, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Omaha, NE would need about $106,200 in Durham, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,507 a month in Durham, NC versus $1,148 in Omaha, NE. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Durham, NC and 18% in Omaha, NE.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,481 a year in NC and $3,670 in NE.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.3% moving from Durham, NC to Omaha, NE ($111,147 → $107,501), while prices change by −5.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.7% in real buying power.
- Durham, NC: price level 97.6 (cheaper)
- Omaha, NE: price level 91.9 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Durham, NC | Omaha, NE | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.6 | 91.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,198 in Omaha | $106,159 in Durham |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,507/mo | $1,148/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $75,510 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $3,670 (NE) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,720 | $49,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA |
Rent areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC and Omaha, NE-IA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Durham | Omaha |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.9 | 86.4 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 89.3 | 76.4 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 93.0 |
| Overall | 97.6 | 91.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Durham, NC → Omaha, NE
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.2%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$189/yr.
88 Strong offer
Omaha, NE → Durham, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.8%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$189/yr.
51 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Durham, NC is in the Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC pay area; Omaha, NE is in Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA. The last column shows what a transfer from Durham, NC to Omaha, NE at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Durham, NC | Omaha, NE | Real change, Durham → Omaha |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,453 | $62,339 | +2.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,983 | $75,425 | +2.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,468 | $90,402 | +2.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,147 | $107,501 | +2.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,342 | $127,033 | +2.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Durham, NC | Omaha, NE | Omaha pay in Durham dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $51,400 | $62,670 | $66,530 (+29.4%) |
| Software Developers | $135,620 | $125,220 | $132,933 (−2.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,090 | $77,030 | $81,774 (−3.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | not published | $84,600 | — |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.