City comparison
Jackson, MS vs Lincoln, NE
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Lincoln, NE are 2.8% higher than in Jackson, MS. Someone earning $100,000 in Jackson, MS would need about $102,800 in Lincoln, NE to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,097 a month in Jackson, MS versus $926 in Lincoln, NE. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Jackson, MS and 15% in Lincoln, NE.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $402 a year higher in Lincoln, NE than in Jackson, MS.
- 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 Jackson, MS to Lincoln, NE changes real buying power by −2.8%, purely from prices.
- Jackson, MS: price level 89.0 (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
| Jackson, MS | Lincoln, NE | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.0 | 91.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,845 in Lincoln | $97,234 in Jackson |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,097/mo | $926/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,912 | $75,510 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,268 (MS) | $3,670 (NE) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $42,850 | $49,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Jackson, MS HUD Metro FMR Area and Lincoln, NE HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Jackson, MS and Lincoln, NE.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Jackson | Lincoln |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 64.8 | 84.2 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 78.1 | 76.8 |
| Other services | 96.1 | 93.0 |
| Overall | 89.0 | 91.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Jackson, MS → Lincoln, NE
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.8%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$402/yr.
60 Fair offer
Lincoln, NE → Jackson, MS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.8%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$402/yr.
78 Strong 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 Jackson, MS to Lincoln, NE at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Jackson, MS | Lincoln, NE | Real change, Jackson → Lincoln |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −2.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −2.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −2.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −2.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −2.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Jackson, MS | Lincoln, NE | Lincoln pay in Jackson dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,240 | $61,940 | $60,227 (+19.9%) |
| Software Developers | $96,990 | $101,690 | $98,877 (+1.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $70,720 | $65,170 | $63,367 (−10.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,630 | $87,530 | $85,109 (+3.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.