City comparison
Omaha, NE vs South Bend, IN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in South Bend, IN are 1.0% higher than in Omaha, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Omaha, NE would need about $101,000 in South Bend, IN to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,148 a month in Omaha, NE and $1,105 in South Bend, IN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $750 a year higher in Omaha, NE than in South Bend, IN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.0% moving from Omaha, NE to South Bend, IN ($107,501 → $106,437), while prices change by +1.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.0% in real buying power.
- Omaha, NE: price level 91.9 (much cheaper)
- South Bend, IN: price level 92.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Omaha, NE | South Bend, IN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.9 | 92.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,030 in South Bend | $98,980 in Omaha |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,148/mo | $1,105/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,510 | $76,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,670 (NE) | $2,921 (IN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,660 | $46,540 |
| 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 South Bend-Mishawaka, IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Omaha, NE-IA and South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Omaha | South Bend |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.4 | 74.6 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 94.2 |
| Utilities | 76.4 | 87.7 |
| Other services | 93.0 | 99.2 |
| Overall | 91.9 | 92.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Omaha, NE → South Bend, IN
Roughly even
Buying power −1.0%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$750/yr.
66 Fair offer
South Bend, IN → Omaha, NE
Roughly even
Buying power +1.0%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$750/yr.
72 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Omaha, NE is in the Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA pay area; South Bend, IN is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Omaha, NE to South Bend, IN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Omaha, NE | South Bend, IN | Real change, Omaha → South Bend |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,339 | $61,722 | −2.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,425 | $74,678 | −2.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,402 | $89,508 | −2.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,501 | $106,437 | −2.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,033 | $125,776 | −2.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Omaha, NE | South Bend, IN | South Bend pay in Omaha dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,670 | $58,180 | $57,587 (−8.1%) |
| Software Developers | $125,220 | $95,500 | $94,526 (−24.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,030 | $77,940 | $77,145 (+0.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,600 | $93,540 | $92,586 (+9.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.