City comparison
Omaha, NE vs Richmond, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Richmond, VA are 6.5% higher than in Omaha, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Omaha, NE would need about $106,500 in Richmond, VA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,507 a month in Richmond, VA versus $1,148 in Omaha, NE. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Richmond, VA and 18% in Omaha, NE.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,265 a year higher in Richmond, VA than in Omaha, NE.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.4% moving from Omaha, NE to Richmond, VA ($107,501 → $111,183), while prices change by +6.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.9% in real buying power.
- Omaha, NE: price level 91.9 (much cheaper)
- Richmond, VA: price level 97.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Omaha, NE | Richmond, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.9 | 97.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,470 in Richmond | $93,923 in Omaha |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,148/mo | $1,507/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,510 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,670 (NE) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,660 | $51,460 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA | Richmond, VA |
Rent areas: Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA HUD Metro FMR Area and Richmond, VA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Omaha, NE-IA and Richmond, VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Omaha | Richmond |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.4 | 99.1 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 76.4 | 89.2 |
| Other services | 93.0 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 91.9 | 97.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Omaha, NE → Richmond, VA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.1%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$1,265/yr.
50 Fair offer
Richmond, VA → Omaha, NE
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.5%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$1,265/yr.
89 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Omaha, NE is in the Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA pay area; Richmond, VA is in Richmond, VA. The last column shows what a transfer from Omaha, NE to Richmond, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Omaha, NE | Richmond, VA | Real change, Omaha → Richmond |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,339 | $64,475 | −2.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,425 | $78,009 | −2.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,402 | $93,499 | −2.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,501 | $111,183 | −2.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,033 | $131,385 | −2.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Omaha, NE | Richmond, VA | Richmond pay in Omaha dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,670 | $61,290 | $57,565 (−8.1%) |
| Software Developers | $125,220 | $132,120 | $124,091 (−0.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,030 | $84,220 | $79,102 (+2.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,600 | $93,580 | $87,893 (+3.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.