City comparison
Lincoln, NE vs Sioux Falls, SD
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Lincoln, NE are 1.0% higher than in Sioux Falls, SD. Someone earning $100,000 in Sioux Falls, SD would need about $101,000 in Lincoln, NE to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $986 a month in Sioux Falls, SD versus $926 in Lincoln, NE. On $100,000, that's 15% of take-home pay in Sioux Falls, SD and 15% in Lincoln, NE.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,670 a year higher in Lincoln, NE than in Sioux Falls, SD.
- 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 Sioux Falls, SD changes real buying power by +1.0%, purely from prices.
- Lincoln, NE: price level 91.6 (much cheaper)
- Sioux Falls, SD: price level 90.6 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Lincoln, NE | Sioux Falls, SD | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.6 | 90.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,963 in Sioux Falls | $101,048 in Lincoln |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $926/mo | $986/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,510 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,670 (NE) | $0 (SD) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,800 | $47,970 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Lincoln, NE HUD Metro FMR Area and Sioux Falls, SD HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Lincoln, NE and Sioux Falls, SD-MN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lincoln | Sioux Falls |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 84.2 | 77.6 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 95.5 |
| Utilities | 76.8 | 80.7 |
| Other services | 93.0 | 91.9 |
| Overall | 91.6 | 90.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lincoln, NE → Sioux Falls, SD
Roughly even
Buying power +1.0%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$3,670/yr.
72 Strong offer
Sioux Falls, SD → Lincoln, NE
Roughly even
Buying power −1.0%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$3,670/yr.
66 Fair 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 Sioux Falls, SD at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lincoln, NE | Sioux Falls, SD | Real change, Lincoln → Sioux Falls |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +1.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +1.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +1.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +1.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +1.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lincoln, NE | Sioux Falls, SD | Sioux Falls pay in Lincoln dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,940 | $50,040 | $50,565 (−18.4%) |
| Software Developers | $101,690 | $101,040 | $102,099 (+0.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,170 | $80,920 | $81,768 (+25.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $87,530 | $75,350 | $76,140 (−13.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.