City comparison
Greenville, SC vs Lincoln, NE
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Greenville, SC are 1.8% higher than in Lincoln, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Lincoln, NE would need about $101,800 in Greenville, SC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,221 a month in Greenville, SC versus $926 in Lincoln, NE. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Greenville, SC and 15% in Lincoln, NE.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,172 a year higher in Greenville, SC than in Lincoln, NE.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Greenville, SC to Lincoln, NE changes real buying power by +1.8%, purely from prices.
- Greenville, SC: price level 93.3 (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
| Greenville, SC | Lincoln, NE | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.3 | 91.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,200 in Lincoln | $101,833 in Greenville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,221/mo | $926/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $75,510 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $3,670 (NE) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,580 | $49,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Greenville-Mauldin-Easley, SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Lincoln, NE HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC and Lincoln, NE.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Greenville | Lincoln |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.8 | 84.2 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 88.8 | 76.8 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 93.0 |
| Overall | 93.3 | 91.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Greenville, SC → Lincoln, NE
Roughly even
Buying power +1.8%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$1,172/yr.
74 Strong offer
Lincoln, NE → Greenville, SC
Roughly even
Buying power −1.8%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$1,172/yr.
63 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Greenville, SC to Lincoln, NE at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Greenville, SC | Lincoln, NE | Real change, Greenville → Lincoln |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +1.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +1.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +1.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +1.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +1.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Greenville, SC | Lincoln, NE | Lincoln pay in Greenville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,680 | $61,940 | $63,076 (+3.9%) |
| Software Developers | $121,790 | $101,690 | $103,554 (−15.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,870 | $65,170 | $66,365 (−13.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,400 | $87,530 | $89,135 (+9.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.