City comparison
Fresno, CA vs Omaha, NE
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Fresno, CA are 11.1% higher than in Omaha, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Omaha, NE would need about $111,100 in Fresno, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,355 a month in Fresno, CA versus $1,148 in Omaha, NE. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Fresno, CA and 18% in Omaha, NE.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,400 a year higher in Fresno, CA than in Omaha, NE.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.5% moving from Fresno, CA to Omaha, NE ($106,973 → $107,501), while prices change by −10.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +11.7% in real buying power.
- Fresno, CA: price level 102.2 (pricier)
- 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
| Fresno, CA | Omaha, NE | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.2 | 91.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $89,969 in Omaha | $111,149 in Fresno |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,355/mo | $1,148/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $75,510 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $3,670 (NE) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,910 | $49,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA | Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA |
Rent areas: Fresno, CA HUD Metro FMR Area and Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Fresno, CA and Omaha, NE-IA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fresno | Omaha |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 95.7 | 86.4 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 161.0 | 76.4 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 93.0 |
| Overall | 102.2 | 91.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fresno, CA → Omaha, NE
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.1%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$1,400/yr.
100 Strong offer
Omaha, NE → Fresno, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.0%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$1,400/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fresno, CA is in the Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA pay area; Omaha, NE is in Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA. The last column shows what a transfer from Fresno, CA to Omaha, NE at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fresno, CA | Omaha, NE | Real change, Fresno → Omaha |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,033 | $62,339 | +11.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,055 | $75,425 | +11.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,959 | $90,402 | +11.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,973 | $107,501 | +11.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,410 | $127,033 | +11.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fresno, CA | Omaha, NE | Omaha pay in Fresno dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,800 | $62,670 | $69,657 (−11.6%) |
| Software Developers | $129,060 | $125,220 | $139,181 (+7.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,690 | $77,030 | $85,618 (+8.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $125,420 | $84,600 | $94,032 (−25.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.