City comparison
Omaha, NE vs Pensacola, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Pensacola, FL are 6.3% higher than in Omaha, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Omaha, NE would need about $106,300 in Pensacola, FL to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,257 a month in Pensacola, FL versus $1,148 in Omaha, NE. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Pensacola, FL and 18% in Omaha, NE.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,670 a year higher in Omaha, NE than in Pensacola, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.0% moving from Omaha, NE to Pensacola, FL ($107,501 → $106,437), while prices change by +6.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −6.9% in real buying power.
- Omaha, NE: price level 91.9 (much cheaper)
- Pensacola, FL: price level 97.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Omaha, NE | Pensacola, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.9 | 97.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,317 in Pensacola | $94,058 in Omaha |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,148/mo | $1,257/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,510 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,670 (NE) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,660 | $46,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA HUD Metro FMR Area and Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL MSA. Metro areas: Omaha, NE-IA and Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Omaha | Pensacola |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.4 | 98.8 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 76.4 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 93.0 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 91.9 | 97.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Omaha, NE → Pensacola, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.9%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,670/yr.
50 Fair offer
Pensacola, FL → Omaha, NE
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.3%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$3,670/yr.
88 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Omaha, NE is in the Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA pay area; Pensacola, FL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Omaha, NE to Pensacola, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Omaha, NE | Pensacola, FL | Real change, Omaha → Pensacola |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,339 | $61,722 | −6.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,425 | $74,678 | −6.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,402 | $89,508 | −6.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,501 | $106,437 | −6.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,033 | $125,776 | −6.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Omaha, NE | Pensacola, FL | Pensacola pay in Omaha dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,670 | $50,360 | $47,368 (−24.4%) |
| Software Developers | $125,220 | $108,430 | $101,987 (−18.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,030 | $76,410 | $71,870 (−6.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,600 | $77,890 | $73,262 (−13.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.