City comparison
Lincoln, NE vs Pittsburgh, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Pittsburgh, PA are 3.4% higher than in Lincoln, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Lincoln, NE would need about $103,400 in Pittsburgh, PA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,077 a month in Pittsburgh, PA versus $926 in Lincoln, NE. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Pittsburgh, PA and 15% in Lincoln, NE.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $600 a year higher in Lincoln, NE than in Pittsburgh, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.4% moving from Lincoln, NE to Pittsburgh, PA ($106,437 → $110,047), while prices change by +3.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.0% in real buying power.
- Lincoln, NE: price level 91.6 (much cheaper)
- Pittsburgh, PA: price level 94.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Lincoln, NE | Pittsburgh, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.6 | 94.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,374 in Pittsburgh | $96,736 in Lincoln |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $926/mo | $1,077/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,510 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,670 (NE) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,800 | $49,650 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV |
Rent areas: Lincoln, NE HUD Metro FMR Area and Pittsburgh, PA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Lincoln, NE and Pittsburgh, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lincoln | Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 84.2 | 72.0 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 76.8 | 107.7 |
| Other services | 93.0 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 91.6 | 94.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lincoln, NE → Pittsburgh, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.3%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$600/yr.
59 Fair offer
Pittsburgh, PA → Lincoln, NE
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.4%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$600/yr.
79 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Lincoln, NE is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Pittsburgh, PA is in Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV. The last column shows what a transfer from Lincoln, NE to Pittsburgh, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lincoln, NE | Pittsburgh, PA | Real change, Lincoln → Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $63,815 | +0.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $77,211 | +0.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $92,543 | +0.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $110,047 | +0.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $130,042 | +0.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lincoln, NE | Pittsburgh, PA | Pittsburgh pay in Lincoln dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,940 | $76,550 | $74,051 (+19.6%) |
| Software Developers | $101,690 | $124,500 | $120,436 (+18.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,170 | $76,940 | $74,429 (+14.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $87,530 | $82,370 | $79,681 (−9.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.