City comparison
Lincoln, NE vs St. Louis, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in St. Louis, MO are 3.8% higher than in Lincoln, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Lincoln, NE would need about $103,800 in St. Louis, MO to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $995 a month in St. Louis, MO versus $926 in Lincoln, NE. On $100,000, that's 16% of take-home pay in St. Louis, MO and 15% in Lincoln, NE.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,670 a year in NE and $3,763 in MO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.5% moving from Lincoln, NE to St. Louis, MO ($106,437 → $109,137), while prices change by +3.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.2% in real buying power.
- Lincoln, NE: price level 91.6 (much cheaper)
- St. Louis, MO: price level 95.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Lincoln, NE | St. Louis, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.6 | 95.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,829 in St. Louis | $96,312 in Lincoln |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $926/mo | $995/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,510 | $75,417 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,670 (NE) | $3,763 (MO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,800 | $49,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL |
Rent areas: Lincoln, NE HUD Metro FMR Area and St. Louis, MO-IL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Lincoln, NE and St. Louis, MO-IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lincoln | St. Louis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 84.2 | 79.0 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 100.0 |
| Utilities | 76.8 | 69.9 |
| Other services | 93.0 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 91.6 | 95.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lincoln, NE → St. Louis, MO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.7%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$92/yr.
57 Fair offer
St. Louis, MO → Lincoln, NE
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.8%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$92/yr.
81 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Lincoln, NE is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; St. Louis, MO is in St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL. The last column shows what a transfer from Lincoln, NE to St. Louis, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lincoln, NE | St. Louis, MO | Real change, Lincoln → St. Louis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $63,288 | −1.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $76,573 | −1.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $91,779 | −1.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $109,137 | −1.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $128,967 | −1.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lincoln, NE | St. Louis, MO | St. Louis pay in Lincoln dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,940 | $60,650 | $58,413 (−5.7%) |
| Software Developers | $101,690 | $129,030 | $124,271 (+22.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,170 | $78,880 | $75,971 (+16.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $87,530 | $83,180 | $80,112 (−8.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.