City comparison
Lincoln, NE vs Virginia Beach, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Virginia Beach, VA are 6.9% higher than in Lincoln, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Lincoln, NE would need about $106,900 in Virginia Beach, VA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,512 a month in Virginia Beach, VA versus $926 in Lincoln, NE. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Virginia Beach, VA and 15% in Lincoln, NE.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,265 a year higher in Virginia Beach, VA than in Lincoln, NE.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.5% moving from Lincoln, NE to Virginia Beach, VA ($106,437 → $108,019), while prices change by +6.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.1% in real buying power.
- Lincoln, NE: price level 91.6 (much cheaper)
- Virginia Beach, VA: price level 97.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Lincoln, NE | Virginia Beach, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.6 | 97.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,945 in Virginia Beach | $93,506 in Lincoln |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $926/mo | $1,512/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,510 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,670 (NE) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,800 | $49,430 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA-NC |
Rent areas: Lincoln, NE HUD Metro FMR Area and Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Lincoln, NE and Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lincoln | Virginia Beach |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 84.2 | 99.8 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 76.8 | 89.6 |
| Other services | 93.0 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 91.6 | 97.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lincoln, NE → Virginia Beach, VA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.5%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$1,265/yr.
48 Fair offer
Virginia Beach, VA → Lincoln, NE
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.9%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$1,265/yr.
90 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Lincoln, NE is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Virginia Beach, VA is in Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA-NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Lincoln, NE to Virginia Beach, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lincoln, NE | Virginia Beach, VA | Real change, Lincoln → Virginia Beach |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,640 | −5.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,788 | −5.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,838 | −5.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $108,019 | −5.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $127,646 | −5.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lincoln, NE | Virginia Beach, VA | Virginia Beach pay in Lincoln dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,940 | $63,380 | $59,264 (−4.3%) |
| Software Developers | $101,690 | $129,090 | $120,707 (+18.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,170 | $79,450 | $74,291 (+14.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $87,530 | $89,450 | $83,641 (−4.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.