City comparison
Omaha, NE vs Springfield, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Omaha, NE are 3.8% higher than in Springfield, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in Springfield, MO would need about $103,800 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 $883 in Springfield, MO. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Omaha, NE and 14% in Springfield, MO.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,670 a year in NE and $3,763 in MO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.0% moving from Omaha, NE to Springfield, MO ($107,501 → $106,437), while prices change by −3.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.7% in real buying power.
- Omaha, NE: price level 91.9 (much cheaper)
- Springfield, MO: price level 88.6 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Omaha, NE | Springfield, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.9 | 88.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,381 in Springfield | $103,755 in Omaha |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,148/mo | $883/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,510 | $75,417 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,670 (NE) | $3,763 (MO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,660 | $45,780 |
| 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 Springfield, MO HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Omaha, NE-IA and Springfield, MO.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Omaha | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.4 | 65.6 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 94.2 |
| Utilities | 76.4 | 85.8 |
| Other services | 93.0 | 93.0 |
| Overall | 91.9 | 88.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Omaha, NE → Springfield, MO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.8%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$92/yr.
80 Strong offer
Springfield, MO → Omaha, NE
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.6%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$92/yr.
57 Fair offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Omaha, NE is in the Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA pay area; Springfield, MO is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Omaha, NE to Springfield, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Omaha, NE | Springfield, MO | Real change, Omaha → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,339 | $61,722 | +2.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,425 | $74,678 | +2.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,402 | $89,508 | +2.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,501 | $106,437 | +2.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,033 | $125,776 | +2.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Omaha, NE | Springfield, MO | Springfield pay in Omaha dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $95,700 | $84,690 | $87,870 (−8.2%) |
| Software Developers | $125,220 | $102,350 | $106,193 (−15.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,030 | $73,020 | $75,762 (−1.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,600 | $79,370 | $82,350 (−2.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.