City comparison
Lincoln, NE vs Seattle, WA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Seattle, WA are 21.3% higher than in Lincoln, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Lincoln, NE would need about $121,300 in Seattle, WA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,146 a month in Seattle, WA versus $926 in Lincoln, NE. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Seattle, WA and 15% in Lincoln, NE.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,670 a year higher in Lincoln, NE than in Seattle, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.4% moving from Lincoln, NE to Seattle, WA ($106,437 → $119,630), while prices change by +21.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −7.4% in real buying power.
- Lincoln, NE: price level 91.6 (much cheaper)
- Seattle, WA: price level 111.1 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Lincoln, NE | Seattle, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.6 | 111.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $121,349 in Seattle | $82,407 in Lincoln |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $926/mo | $2,146/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,510 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,670 (NE) | $0 (WA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 33% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,800 | $72,610 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Seattle-Tacoma, WA |
Rent areas: Lincoln, NE HUD Metro FMR Area and Seattle-Bellevue, WA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Lincoln, NE and Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lincoln | Seattle |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 84.2 | 151.3 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 104.0 |
| Utilities | 76.8 | 92.8 |
| Other services | 93.0 | 106.8 |
| Overall | 91.6 | 111.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lincoln, NE → Seattle, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −17.6%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax −$3,670/yr.
26 Weak offer
Seattle, WA → Lincoln, NE
Same pay goes further
Buying power +21.3%; 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; Seattle, WA is in Seattle-Tacoma, WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Lincoln, NE to Seattle, WA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lincoln, NE | Seattle, WA | Real change, Lincoln → Seattle |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,373 | −7.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $83,935 | −7.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $100,602 | −7.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $119,630 | −7.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $141,367 | −7.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lincoln, NE | Seattle, WA | Seattle pay in Lincoln dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,940 | $102,920 | $84,813 (+36.9%) |
| Software Developers | $101,690 | $167,280 | $137,850 (+35.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,170 | $99,370 | $81,888 (+25.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $87,530 | $128,260 | $105,695 (+20.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.