City comparison
Memphis, TN vs Omaha, NE
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Memphis, TN (92.2) and Omaha, NE (91.9, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Memphis, TN goes as far as $99,700 in Omaha, NE.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,154 a month in Memphis, TN and $1,148 in Omaha, NE.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,670 a year higher in Omaha, NE than in Memphis, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.0% moving from Memphis, TN to Omaha, NE ($106,437 → $107,501), while prices change by −0.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.3% in real buying power.
- Memphis, TN: price level 92.2 (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
| Memphis, TN | Omaha, NE | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.2 | 91.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,709 in Omaha | $100,292 in Memphis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,154/mo | $1,148/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,510 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $3,670 (NE) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,890 | $49,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA |
Rent areas: Memphis, TN-MS-AR HUD Metro FMR Area and Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Memphis, TN-MS-AR and Omaha, NE-IA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Memphis | Omaha |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.8 | 86.4 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 74.1 | 76.4 |
| Other services | 95.4 | 93.0 |
| Overall | 92.2 | 91.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Memphis, TN → Omaha, NE
Roughly even
Buying power +0.3%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$3,670/yr.
70 Fair offer
Omaha, NE → Memphis, TN
Roughly even
Buying power −0.3%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$3,670/yr.
68 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Memphis, TN 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 Memphis, TN to Omaha, NE at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Memphis, TN | Omaha, NE | Real change, Memphis → Omaha |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,339 | +1.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,425 | +1.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,402 | +1.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $107,501 | +1.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $127,033 | +1.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Memphis, TN | Omaha, NE | Omaha pay in Memphis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,510 | $62,670 | $62,853 (+2.2%) |
| Software Developers | $125,580 | $125,220 | $125,585 (+0.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,960 | $77,030 | $77,255 (+0.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,500 | $84,600 | $84,847 (+4.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.