City comparison
Lakeland, FL vs Omaha, NE
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Lakeland, FL are 5.7% higher than in Omaha, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Omaha, NE would need about $105,700 in Lakeland, FL to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,230 a month in Lakeland, FL versus $1,148 in Omaha, NE. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Lakeland, 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 Lakeland, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.0% moving from Lakeland, FL to Omaha, NE ($106,437 → $107,501), while prices change by −5.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.7% in real buying power.
- Lakeland, FL: price level 97.1 (cheaper)
- 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
| Lakeland, FL | Omaha, NE | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.1 | 91.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,616 in Omaha | $105,690 in Lakeland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,230/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 | 19% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,140 | $49,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA |
Rent areas: Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL MSA and Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL and Omaha, NE-IA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lakeland | Omaha |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 95.9 | 86.4 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 86.9 | 76.4 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 93.0 |
| Overall | 97.1 | 91.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lakeland, FL → Omaha, NE
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.7%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$3,670/yr.
87 Strong offer
Omaha, NE → Lakeland, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.4%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,670/yr.
52 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Lakeland, 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 Lakeland, FL to Omaha, NE at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lakeland, FL | Omaha, NE | Real change, Lakeland → Omaha |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,339 | +6.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,425 | +6.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,402 | +6.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $107,501 | +6.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $127,033 | +6.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lakeland, FL | Omaha, NE | Omaha pay in Lakeland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,420 | $62,670 | $66,236 (+31.4%) |
| Software Developers | $122,200 | $125,220 | $132,345 (+8.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,820 | $77,030 | $81,413 (+6.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,030 | $84,600 | $89,414 (+6.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.