City comparison
Lincoln, NE vs Tucson, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Tucson, AZ are 5.8% higher than in Lincoln, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Lincoln, NE would need about $105,800 in Tucson, AZ to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,081 a month in Tucson, AZ versus $926 in Lincoln, NE. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Tucson, AZ and 15% in Lincoln, NE.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,379 a year higher in Lincoln, NE than in Tucson, AZ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.9% moving from Lincoln, NE to Tucson, AZ ($106,437 → $108,455), while prices change by +5.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.7% in real buying power.
- Lincoln, NE: price level 91.6 (much cheaper)
- Tucson, AZ: price level 96.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Lincoln, NE | Tucson, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.6 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,804 in Tucson | $94,515 in Lincoln |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $926/mo | $1,081/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,510 | $76,889 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,670 (NE) | $2,291 (AZ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,800 | $47,760 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Tucson-Nogales, AZ |
Rent areas: Lincoln, NE HUD Metro FMR Area and Tucson, AZ MSA. Metro areas: Lincoln, NE and Tucson, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lincoln | Tucson |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 84.2 | 91.8 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 76.8 | 89.5 |
| Other services | 93.0 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 91.6 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lincoln, NE → Tucson, AZ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.5%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,379/yr.
52 Fair offer
Tucson, AZ → Lincoln, NE
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.8%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$1,379/yr.
87 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Lincoln, NE is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Tucson, AZ is in Tucson-Nogales, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Lincoln, NE to Tucson, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lincoln, NE | Tucson, AZ | Real change, Lincoln → Tucson |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,893 | −3.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $76,095 | −3.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $91,205 | −3.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $108,455 | −3.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $128,162 | −3.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lincoln, NE | Tucson, AZ | Tucson pay in Lincoln dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,940 | $47,220 | $44,630 (−27.9%) |
| Software Developers | $101,690 | $123,710 | $116,924 (+15.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,170 | $76,320 | $72,134 (+10.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $87,530 | $94,110 | $88,948 (+1.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.