City comparison
Lincoln, NE vs Tuscaloosa, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Lincoln, NE are 4.4% higher than in Tuscaloosa, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Tuscaloosa, AL would need about $104,400 in Lincoln, NE to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $926 a month in Lincoln, NE and $972 in Tuscaloosa, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,065 a year higher in Tuscaloosa, AL than in Lincoln, NE.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.0% moving from Lincoln, NE to Tuscaloosa, AL ($106,437 → $107,510), while prices change by −4.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.5% in real buying power.
- Lincoln, NE: price level 91.6 (much cheaper)
- Tuscaloosa, AL: price level 87.7 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Lincoln, NE | Tuscaloosa, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.6 | 87.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,786 in Tuscaloosa | $104,399 in Lincoln |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $926/mo | $972/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,510 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,670 (NE) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,800 | $45,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL |
Rent areas: Lincoln, NE HUD Metro FMR Area and Tuscaloosa, AL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Lincoln, NE and Tuscaloosa, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lincoln | Tuscaloosa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 84.2 | 58.2 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 76.8 | 84.4 |
| Other services | 93.0 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 91.6 | 87.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lincoln, NE → Tuscaloosa, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.4%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$1,065/yr.
82 Strong offer
Tuscaloosa, AL → Lincoln, NE
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.2%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$1,065/yr.
56 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Lincoln, NE is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Tuscaloosa, AL is in Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL. The last column shows what a transfer from Lincoln, NE to Tuscaloosa, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lincoln, NE | Tuscaloosa, AL | Real change, Lincoln → Tuscaloosa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,344 | +5.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,431 | +5.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,410 | +5.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $107,510 | +5.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $127,044 | +5.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lincoln, NE | Tuscaloosa, AL | Tuscaloosa pay in Lincoln dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,940 | $60,220 | $62,869 (+1.5%) |
| Software Developers | $101,690 | $104,870 | $109,483 (+7.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,170 | $71,690 | $74,844 (+14.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $87,530 | $75,250 | $78,560 (−10.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.