City comparison
Lincoln, NE vs Savannah, GA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Savannah, GA are 4.0% higher than in Lincoln, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Lincoln, NE would need about $104,000 in Savannah, GA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,533 a month in Savannah, GA versus $926 in Lincoln, NE. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Savannah, GA and 15% in Lincoln, NE.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $897 a year higher in Savannah, GA than in Lincoln, NE.
- 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 Savannah, GA changes real buying power by −3.8%, purely from prices.
- Lincoln, NE: price level 91.6 (much cheaper)
- Savannah, GA: price level 95.2 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Lincoln, NE | Savannah, GA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.6 | 95.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,958 in Savannah | $96,192 in Lincoln |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $926/mo | $1,533/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,510 | $74,613 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,670 (NE) | $4,567 (GA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,800 | $47,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Lincoln, NE HUD Metro FMR Area and Savannah, GA MSA. Metro areas: Lincoln, NE and Savannah, GA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lincoln | Savannah |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 84.2 | 86.0 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 76.8 | 88.6 |
| Other services | 93.0 | 98.7 |
| Overall | 91.6 | 95.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lincoln, NE → Savannah, GA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.8%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$897/yr.
57 Fair offer
Savannah, GA → Lincoln, NE
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.0%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$897/yr.
81 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 Savannah, GA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lincoln, NE | Savannah, GA | Real change, Lincoln → Savannah |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −3.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −3.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −3.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −3.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −3.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lincoln, NE | Savannah, GA | Savannah pay in Lincoln dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,940 | $63,710 | $61,284 (−1.1%) |
| Software Developers | $101,690 | $123,220 | $118,528 (+16.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,170 | $79,790 | $76,752 (+17.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $87,530 | $86,760 | $83,457 (−4.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.