City comparison

Kiryas Joel, NY vs Lincoln, NE

What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.

Key findings

  • Prices in Kiryas Joel, NY are 19.5% higher than in Lincoln, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Lincoln, NE would need about $119,500 in Kiryas Joel, NY to live the same way.
  • Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,549 a month in Kiryas Joel, NY versus $926 in Lincoln, NE. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Kiryas Joel, NY and 15% in Lincoln, NE.
  • On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,189 a year higher in Kiryas Joel, NY than in Lincoln, NE.
  • For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −15.1% moving from Kiryas Joel, NY to Lincoln, NE ($125,431 → $106,437), while prices change by −16.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.4% in real buying power.
Kiryas JoelLincoln
Price level (U.S. = 100):Under 9292–9898–102102–108Over 108
  • Kiryas Joel, NY: price level 109.4 (much pricier)
  • 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

Kiryas Joel, NYLincoln, NE
Price level (U.S. = 100)2109.491.6
$100,000 is worth, in the other city2$83,695 in Lincoln$119,481 in Kiryas Joel
Typical 1-bedroom rent3$1,549/mo$926/mo
Take-home on $100,00014,15,8$74,320$75,510
State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8$4,860 (NY)$3,670 (NE)
Rent burden on $100,00025%15%
Median pay, all jobs4$50,990$49,800
Federal locality pay area7New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PARest of U.S.

Rent areas: Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY MSA and Lincoln, NE HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY and Lincoln, NE.

What costs more or less

Kiryas Joel, NYLincoln, NE
Price level (U.S. = 100)Kiryas JoelLincoln
Housing (rent)115.884.2
Goods110.394.1
Utilities136.876.8
Other services106.593.0
Overall109.491.6
BEA Regional Price Parities2. Housing covers rents.

Moving with the same $100,000 salary

Kiryas Joel, NY → Lincoln, NE

Same pay goes further

Buying power +19.5%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$1,189/yr.

100 Strong offer

Lincoln, NE → Kiryas Joel, NY

Same pay buys less

Buying power −16.3%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$1,189/yr.

37 Weak offer

On the GS pay scale?

Kiryas Joel, NY is in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA pay area; Lincoln, NE is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Kiryas Joel, NY to Lincoln, NE at the same grade and step does to real buying power.

Grade5,2Kiryas Joel, NYLincoln, NEReal change, Kiryas Joel → Lincoln
GS-9 step 1$72,737$61,722+1.4%
GS-11 step 1$88,005$74,678+1.4%
GS-12 step 1$105,481$89,508+1.4%
GS-13 step 1$125,431$106,437+1.4%
GS-14 step 1$148,222$125,776+1.4%

Pay for common jobs

Median annual pay4Kiryas Joel, NYLincoln, NELincoln pay in Kiryas Joel dollars
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$81,770$61,940$74,007 (−9.5%)
Software Developers$145,830$101,690$121,500 (−16.7%)
Accountants and Auditors$88,900$65,170$77,866 (−12.4%)
Registered Nurses$102,890$87,530$104,582 (+1.6%)

"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.

Check your own offer

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Taxes are estimates for a single filer taking the standard deduction; city and county income taxes are not included. See the methodology.

Notes & Sources

  1. U.S. Census Bureau, Metropolitan Statistical Area population estimates (Vintage 2025) (2025). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  2. U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by MSA (MARPP), all items (2024). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  3. U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Market Rents, 1-bedroom (2026). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  4. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025, metropolitan areas (2025). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  5. U.S. Office of Personnel Management, General Schedule (GS) pay rates with locality pay, 2026 (2026). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  6. U.S. Office of Personnel Management, Locality codes used in the 2026 GS pay spreadsheet (2026). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  7. U.S. Office of Personnel Management, 2026 Locality Pay Area Definitions (counties in each pay area) (2026). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  8. Tax Foundation, State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets, 2026 (2026). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  9. U.S. Census Bureau, Cartographic boundary file: states, 1:20,000,000 (2024) (2024). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  10. U.S. Census Bureau, Gazetteer file: core based statistical areas (2025) (2025). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  11. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, table C24010 (occupation of employed residents) by ZIP code area (2024). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  12. U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Tabulation Area relationship files (2020; Connecticut 2022) and Gazetteer locations (2025) (2025). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  13. U.S. Census Bureau, Cartographic boundary files (ZIP code areas 2020; counties and states 2024) and TIGER/Line primary roads (2024) (2024). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  14. Internal Revenue Service, Rev. Proc. 2025-32 (2026 tax brackets and standard deduction) (2026). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  15. Internal Revenue Service, Publication 15 (Circular E), Employer's Tax Guide for 2026 (Social Security and Medicare) (2026). Retrieved 2026-09-29.