CostIndexUSA

La Crosse, WI vs Lincoln, NE Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

≈ Equal CostWI
La Crosse
91.8
overall index
$1,200/mo rent
NE
Lincoln
91.6
overall index
$1,275/mo rent

La Crosse and Lincoln have nearly identical costs of living.

Category Breakdown

Index values: 100 = U.S. national average. Higher = more expensive.

🏠 Housing+21.3%
La Crosse
69.4
Lincoln
84.2
🛒 Groceries≈ Equal
La Crosse
93.8
Lincoln
94.1
🚗 Transportation6.5%
La Crosse
104.4
Lincoln
97.6
🏥 Healthcare6.6%
La Crosse
94.5
Lincoln
88.3
Utilities14.2%
La Crosse
89.5
Lincoln
76.8

Salary Equivalency Calculator

Enter your current salary in La Crosse to see what you'd need to earn in Lincoln to maintain the same purchasing power.

$
Equivalent salary in Lincoln, NE
$79,800
$200 less needed in Lincoln

Formula: salary × (91.6 ÷ 91.8) = salary × 0.9978. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

La Crosse, WI

Median Home Price
$315,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,200
Housing Index
69.4
Price-to-Rent Ratio
21.9×

Lincoln, NE

Median Home Price
$289,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,275
Housing Index
84.2
Price-to-Rent Ratio
18.9×

Lincoln has 21.3% higher housing costs compared to La Crosse.

Income & Job Market

La Crosse, WI

Median Household Income
$71,300
Per Capita Income
$40,600
Unemployment Rate
3.1%
Population
52,680
Top Industries
HealthcareEducationManufacturingRetailTourism

Lincoln, NE

Median Household Income
$71,200
Per Capita Income
$40,600
Unemployment Rate
2.7%
Population
289,102
Top Industries
EducationHealthcareGovernmentFinanceManufacturing

Affordability at a Glance

Income-to-rent ratio: higher is better (more income relative to housing costs).

La Crosse, WI
5.0×income-to-rent ratio

80% of income left after rent (median)

Lincoln, NE
4.7×income-to-rent ratio

79% of income left after rent (median)

Data Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities 2024; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Zillow Research.

Cost indices use 100 as the U.S. national average. Values above 100 indicate costs above the national average. Data is updated annually.

This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for relocation or financial decisions.