City comparison
Lincoln, NE vs South Bend, IN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in South Bend, IN are 1.4% higher than in Lincoln, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Lincoln, NE would need about $101,400 in South Bend, IN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,105 a month in South Bend, IN versus $926 in Lincoln, NE. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in South Bend, IN and 15% in Lincoln, NE.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $750 a year higher in Lincoln, NE than in South Bend, IN.
- 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 South Bend, IN changes real buying power by −1.4%, purely from prices.
- Lincoln, NE: price level 91.6 (much cheaper)
- South Bend, IN: price level 92.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Lincoln, NE | South Bend, IN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.6 | 92.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,394 in South Bend | $98,625 in Lincoln |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $926/mo | $1,105/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,510 | $76,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,670 (NE) | $2,921 (IN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,800 | $46,540 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Lincoln, NE HUD Metro FMR Area and South Bend-Mishawaka, IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Lincoln, NE and South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lincoln | South Bend |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 84.2 | 74.6 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 94.2 |
| Utilities | 76.8 | 87.7 |
| Other services | 93.0 | 99.2 |
| Overall | 91.6 | 92.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lincoln, NE → South Bend, IN
Roughly even
Buying power −1.4%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$750/yr.
64 Fair offer
South Bend, IN → Lincoln, NE
Roughly even
Buying power +1.4%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$750/yr.
73 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 South Bend, IN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lincoln, NE | South Bend, IN | Real change, Lincoln → South Bend |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −1.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −1.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −1.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −1.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −1.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lincoln, NE | South Bend, IN | South Bend pay in Lincoln dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,940 | $58,180 | $57,380 (−7.4%) |
| Software Developers | $101,690 | $95,500 | $94,187 (−7.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,170 | $77,940 | $76,868 (+18.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $87,530 | $93,540 | $92,254 (+5.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.