City comparison
Montgomery, AL vs Omaha, NE
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Omaha, NE are 2.5% higher than in Montgomery, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Montgomery, AL would need about $102,500 in Omaha, NE to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,148 a month in Omaha, NE versus $870 in Montgomery, AL. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Omaha, NE and 14% in Montgomery, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,065 a year higher in Montgomery, AL than in Omaha, NE.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.0% moving from Montgomery, AL to Omaha, NE ($106,437 → $107,501), while prices change by +2.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.4% in real buying power.
- Montgomery, AL: price level 89.7 (much 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
| Montgomery, AL | Omaha, NE | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.7 | 91.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,485 in Omaha | $97,575 in Montgomery |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $870/mo | $1,148/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,445 | $75,510 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,735 (AL) | $3,670 (NE) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,950 | $49,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA |
Rent areas: Montgomery, AL MSA and Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Montgomery, AL and Omaha, NE-IA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Montgomery | Omaha |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 64.3 | 86.4 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 84.9 | 76.4 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 93.0 |
| Overall | 89.7 | 91.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Montgomery, AL → Omaha, NE
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.4%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$1,065/yr.
61 Fair offer
Omaha, NE → Montgomery, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.5%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$1,065/yr.
77 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Montgomery, AL 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 Montgomery, AL to Omaha, NE at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Montgomery, AL | Omaha, NE | Real change, Montgomery → Omaha |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,339 | −1.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,425 | −1.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,402 | −1.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $107,501 | −1.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $127,033 | −1.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Montgomery, AL | Omaha, NE | Omaha pay in Montgomery dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,610 | $62,670 | $61,150 (+2.6%) |
| Software Developers | $110,620 | $125,220 | $122,183 (+10.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,040 | $77,030 | $75,162 (+0.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,570 | $84,600 | $82,548 (+3.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.