City comparison
Lincoln, NE vs Salt Lake City, UT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salt Lake City, UT are 10.1% higher than in Lincoln, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Lincoln, NE would need about $110,100 in Salt Lake City, UT to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,456 a month in Salt Lake City, UT versus $926 in Lincoln, NE. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Salt Lake City, UT and 15% in Lincoln, NE.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,670 a year in NE and $3,534 in UT.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Lincoln, NE to Salt Lake City, UT changes real buying power by −9.2%, purely from prices.
- Lincoln, NE: price level 91.6 (much cheaper)
- Salt Lake City, UT: price level 100.9 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Lincoln, NE | Salt Lake City, UT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.6 | 100.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $110,141 in Salt Lake City | $90,793 in Lincoln |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $926/mo | $1,456/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,510 | $75,646 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,670 (NE) | $3,534 (UT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,800 | $55,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Lincoln, NE HUD Metro FMR Area and Salt Lake City, UT HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Lincoln, NE and Salt Lake City-Murray, UT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lincoln | Salt Lake City |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 84.2 | 123.3 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 76.8 | 79.0 |
| Other services | 93.0 | 99.0 |
| Overall | 91.6 | 100.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lincoln, NE → Salt Lake City, UT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.2%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$136/yr.
40 Weak offer
Salt Lake City, UT → Lincoln, NE
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.1%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$136/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Lincoln, NE to Salt Lake City, UT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lincoln, NE | Salt Lake City, UT | Real change, Lincoln → Salt Lake City |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −9.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −9.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −9.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −9.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −9.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lincoln, NE | Salt Lake City, UT | Salt Lake City pay in Lincoln dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,940 | $77,920 | $70,746 (+14.2%) |
| Software Developers | $101,690 | $129,600 | $117,668 (+15.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,170 | $82,100 | $74,541 (+14.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $87,530 | $85,890 | $77,982 (−10.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.