City comparison
Madison, WI vs Omaha, NE
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Madison, WI are 5.8% higher than in Omaha, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Omaha, NE would need about $105,800 in Madison, WI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,482 a month in Madison, WI versus $1,148 in Omaha, NE. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Madison, WI and 18% in Omaha, NE.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,919 a year in WI and $3,670 in NE.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.0% moving from Madison, WI to Omaha, NE ($106,437 → $107,501), while prices change by −5.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.9% in real buying power.
- Madison, WI: price level 97.3 (cheaper)
- Omaha, NE: price level 91.9 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Madison, WI | Omaha, NE | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.3 | 91.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,474 in Omaha | $105,849 in Madison |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,482/mo | $1,148/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,261 | $75,510 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,919 (WI) | $3,670 (NE) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,080 | $49,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA |
Rent areas: Madison, WI HUD Metro FMR Area and Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Madison, WI and Omaha, NE-IA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Madison | Omaha |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 99.7 | 86.4 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 89.8 | 76.4 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 93.0 |
| Overall | 97.3 | 91.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Madison, WI → Omaha, NE
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.8%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$249/yr.
87 Strong offer
Omaha, NE → Madison, WI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.5%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$249/yr.
51 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Madison, WI is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Omaha, NE is in Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA. The last column shows what a transfer from Madison, WI to Omaha, NE at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Madison, WI | Omaha, NE | Real change, Madison → Omaha |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,339 | +6.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,425 | +6.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,402 | +6.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $107,501 | +6.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $127,033 | +6.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Madison, WI | Omaha, NE | Omaha pay in Madison dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,690 | $62,670 | $66,336 (+4.2%) |
| Software Developers | $130,630 | $125,220 | $132,544 (+1.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,130 | $77,030 | $81,536 (+0.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,190 | $84,600 | $89,548 (−11.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.