City comparison
Jacksonville, FL vs Omaha, NE
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Jacksonville, FL are 8.2% higher than in Omaha, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Omaha, NE would need about $108,200 in Jacksonville, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,382 a month in Jacksonville, FL versus $1,148 in Omaha, NE. On $100,000, that's 21% of take-home pay in Jacksonville, FL and 18% in Omaha, NE.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,670 a year higher in Omaha, NE than in Jacksonville, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.0% moving from Jacksonville, FL to Omaha, NE ($106,437 → $107,501), while prices change by −7.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +9.3% in real buying power.
- Jacksonville, FL: price level 99.5 (about average)
- 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
| Jacksonville, FL | Omaha, NE | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 99.5 | 91.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,388 in Omaha | $108,239 in Jacksonville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,382/mo | $1,148/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,510 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $3,670 (NE) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 21% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,830 | $49,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA |
Rent areas: Jacksonville, FL HUD Metro FMR Area and Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Jacksonville, FL and Omaha, NE-IA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Jacksonville | Omaha |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 109.8 | 86.4 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 87.5 | 76.4 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 93.0 |
| Overall | 99.5 | 91.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Jacksonville, FL → Omaha, NE
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.2%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$3,670/yr.
94 Strong offer
Omaha, NE → Jacksonville, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.6%; rent takes 21% of take-home; state tax −$3,670/yr.
45 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Jacksonville, FL is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Omaha, NE is in Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA. The last column shows what a transfer from Jacksonville, FL to Omaha, NE at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Jacksonville, FL | Omaha, NE | Real change, Jacksonville → Omaha |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,339 | +9.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,425 | +9.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,402 | +9.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $107,501 | +9.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $127,033 | +9.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Jacksonville, FL | Omaha, NE | Omaha pay in Jacksonville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,080 | $62,670 | $67,834 (+11.1%) |
| Software Developers | $130,330 | $125,220 | $135,537 (+4.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,960 | $77,030 | $83,377 (+4.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,520 | $84,600 | $91,571 (+9.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.