City comparison
Lincoln, NE vs Sacramento, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Sacramento, CA are 16.5% higher than in Lincoln, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Lincoln, NE would need about $116,500 in Sacramento, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,832 a month in Sacramento, CA versus $926 in Lincoln, NE. On $100,000, that's 30% of take-home pay in Sacramento, CA and 15% in Lincoln, NE.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,400 a year higher in Sacramento, CA than in Lincoln, NE.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +10.8% moving from Lincoln, NE to Sacramento, CA ($106,437 → $117,984), while prices change by +16.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.8% in real buying power.
- Lincoln, NE: price level 91.6 (much cheaper)
- Sacramento, CA: price level 106.7 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Lincoln, NE | Sacramento, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.6 | 106.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $116,476 in Sacramento | $85,855 in Lincoln |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $926/mo | $1,832/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,510 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,670 (NE) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 30% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,800 | $59,750 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Sacramento-Roseville, CA-NV |
Rent areas: Lincoln, NE HUD Metro FMR Area and Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Lincoln, NE and Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lincoln | Sacramento |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 84.2 | 130.2 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 76.8 | 151.3 |
| Other services | 93.0 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 91.6 | 106.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lincoln, NE → Sacramento, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −14.1%; rent takes 30% of take-home; state tax +$1,400/yr.
31 Weak offer
Sacramento, CA → Lincoln, NE
Same pay goes further
Buying power +16.5%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$1,400/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Lincoln, NE is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Sacramento, CA is in Sacramento-Roseville, CA-NV. The last column shows what a transfer from Lincoln, NE to Sacramento, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lincoln, NE | Sacramento, CA | Real change, Lincoln → Sacramento |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $68,419 | −4.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $82,780 | −4.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $99,218 | −4.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $117,984 | −4.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $139,422 | −4.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lincoln, NE | Sacramento, CA | Sacramento pay in Lincoln dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,940 | $103,390 | $88,765 (+43.3%) |
| Software Developers | $101,690 | $139,640 | $119,887 (+17.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,170 | $92,110 | $79,081 (+21.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $87,530 | $171,460 | $147,206 (+68.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.