City comparison
Lincoln, NE vs Reno, NV
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Reno, NV are 10.3% higher than in Lincoln, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Lincoln, NE would need about $110,300 in Reno, NV to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,489 a month in Reno, NV versus $926 in Lincoln, NE. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Reno, NV and 15% in Lincoln, NE.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,670 a year higher in Lincoln, NE than in Reno, NV.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.4% moving from Lincoln, NE to Reno, NV ($106,437 → $106,855), while prices change by +10.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −9.0% in real buying power.
- Lincoln, NE: price level 91.6 (much cheaper)
- Reno, NV: price level 101.0 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Lincoln, NE | Reno, NV | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.6 | 101.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $110,300 in Reno | $90,662 in Lincoln |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $926/mo | $1,489/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,510 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,670 (NE) | $0 (NV) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,800 | $49,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Reno-Fernley, NV |
Rent areas: Lincoln, NE HUD Metro FMR Area and Reno, NV HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Lincoln, NE and Reno, NV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lincoln | Reno |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 84.2 | 123.5 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 76.8 | 89.3 |
| Other services | 93.0 | 98.7 |
| Overall | 91.6 | 101.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lincoln, NE → Reno, NV
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.3%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$3,670/yr.
40 Weak offer
Reno, NV → Lincoln, NE
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.3%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$3,670/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Lincoln, NE is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Reno, NV is in Reno-Fernley, NV. The last column shows what a transfer from Lincoln, NE to Reno, NV at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lincoln, NE | Reno, NV | Real change, Lincoln → Reno |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,965 | −9.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,972 | −9.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,859 | −9.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,855 | −9.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $126,271 | −9.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lincoln, NE | Reno, NV | Reno pay in Lincoln dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,940 | $62,430 | $56,600 (−8.6%) |
| Software Developers | $101,690 | $125,710 | $113,971 (+12.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,170 | $82,370 | $74,678 (+14.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $87,530 | $107,520 | $97,479 (+11.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.