City comparison
Lincoln, NE vs Providence, RI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Providence, RI are 11.1% higher than in Lincoln, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Lincoln, NE would need about $111,100 in Providence, RI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,402 a month in Providence, RI versus $926 in Lincoln, NE. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Providence, RI and 15% in Lincoln, NE.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $522 a year higher in Lincoln, NE than in Providence, RI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +13.3% moving from Lincoln, NE to Providence, RI ($106,437 → $120,548), while prices change by +11.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.9% in real buying power.
- Lincoln, NE: price level 91.6 (much cheaper)
- Providence, RI: price level 101.8 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Lincoln, NE | Providence, RI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.6 | 101.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $111,129 in Providence | $89,986 in Lincoln |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $926/mo | $1,402/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,510 | $76,032 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,670 (NE) | $3,148 (RI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,800 | $53,680 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Lincoln, NE HUD Metro FMR Area and Providence-Fall River, RI-MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Lincoln, NE and Providence-Warwick, RI-MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lincoln | Providence |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 84.2 | 103.9 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 97.1 |
| Utilities | 76.8 | 148.8 |
| Other services | 93.0 | 102.3 |
| Overall | 91.6 | 101.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lincoln, NE → Providence, RI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.0%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$522/yr.
38 Weak offer
Providence, RI → Lincoln, NE
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.1%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$522/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Lincoln, NE is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Providence, RI is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Lincoln, NE to Providence, RI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lincoln, NE | Providence, RI | Real change, Lincoln → Providence |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,905 | +1.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,579 | +1.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $101,375 | +1.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,548 | +1.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $142,452 | +1.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lincoln, NE | Providence, RI | Providence pay in Lincoln dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,940 | $86,720 | $78,035 (+26.0%) |
| Software Developers | $101,690 | $130,690 | $117,602 (+15.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,170 | $95,020 | $85,504 (+31.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $87,530 | $99,880 | $89,878 (+2.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.