City comparison
Modesto, CA vs Omaha, NE
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Modesto, CA are 13.3% higher than in Omaha, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Omaha, NE would need about $113,300 in Modesto, CA to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,356 a month in Modesto, CA versus $1,148 in Omaha, NE. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Modesto, CA and 18% in Omaha, NE.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,400 a year higher in Modesto, CA than in Omaha, NE.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −19.2% moving from Modesto, CA to Omaha, NE ($133,060 → $107,501), while prices change by −11.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −8.5% in real buying power.
- Modesto, CA: price level 104.1 (pricier)
- 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
| Modesto, CA | Omaha, NE | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.1 | 91.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $88,284 in Omaha | $113,270 in Modesto |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,356/mo | $1,148/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $75,510 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $3,670 (NE) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,610 | $49,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA | Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA |
Rent areas: Modesto, CA MSA and Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Modesto, CA and Omaha, NE-IA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Modesto | Omaha |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 108.5 | 86.4 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 152.3 | 76.4 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 93.0 |
| Overall | 104.1 | 91.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Modesto, CA → Omaha, NE
Same pay goes further
Buying power +13.3%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$1,400/yr.
100 Strong offer
Omaha, NE → Modesto, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.7%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$1,400/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Modesto, CA is in the San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA pay area; Omaha, NE is in Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA. The last column shows what a transfer from Modesto, CA to Omaha, NE at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Modesto, CA | Omaha, NE | Real change, Modesto → Omaha |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $77,161 | $62,339 | −8.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $93,358 | $75,425 | −8.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $111,896 | $90,402 | −8.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $133,060 | $107,501 | −8.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $157,236 | $127,033 | −8.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Modesto, CA | Omaha, NE | Omaha pay in Modesto dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $101,640 | $62,670 | $70,987 (−30.2%) |
| Software Developers | $119,770 | $125,220 | $141,837 (+18.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,560 | $77,030 | $87,252 (+4.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $132,590 | $84,600 | $95,827 (−27.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.