City comparison
Kansas City, MO vs Lincoln, NE
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Kansas City, MO are 1.1% higher than in Lincoln, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Lincoln, NE would need about $101,100 in Kansas City, MO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,197 a month in Kansas City, MO versus $926 in Lincoln, NE. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Kansas City, MO and 15% in Lincoln, NE.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,763 a year in MO and $3,670 in NE.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.6% moving from Kansas City, MO to Lincoln, NE ($108,173 → $106,437), while prices change by −1.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.6% in real buying power.
- Kansas City, MO: price level 92.5 (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
| Kansas City, MO | Lincoln, NE | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.5 | 91.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,960 in Lincoln | $101,050 in Kansas City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,197/mo | $926/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,417 | $75,510 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,763 (MO) | $3,670 (NE) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,820 | $49,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Kansas City, MO-KS HUD Metro FMR Area and Lincoln, NE HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Kansas City, MO-KS and Lincoln, NE.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Kansas City | Lincoln |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.6 | 84.2 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 89.0 | 76.8 |
| Other services | 93.4 | 93.0 |
| Overall | 92.5 | 91.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Kansas City, MO → Lincoln, NE
Roughly even
Buying power +1.1%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$92/yr.
72 Strong offer
Lincoln, NE → Kansas City, MO
Roughly even
Buying power −1.0%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$92/yr.
66 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Kansas City, MO is in the Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS pay area; Lincoln, NE is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Kansas City, MO to Lincoln, NE at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Kansas City, MO | Lincoln, NE | Real change, Kansas City → Lincoln |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,729 | $61,722 | −0.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,897 | $74,678 | −0.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,968 | $89,508 | −0.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,173 | $106,437 | −0.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,829 | $125,776 | −0.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Kansas City, MO | Lincoln, NE | Lincoln pay in Kansas City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,060 | $61,940 | $62,591 (+2.5%) |
| Software Developers | $124,990 | $101,690 | $102,758 (−17.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,040 | $65,170 | $65,855 (−17.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,040 | $87,530 | $88,449 (+6.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.