CostIndexUSA

Lincoln, NE vs Omaha, NE Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

≈ Equal CostNE
Lincoln
91.6
overall index
$1,275/mo rent
NE
Omaha
91.9
overall index
$1,400/mo rent

Lincoln and Omaha have nearly identical costs of living.

Category Breakdown

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

🏠 Housing+2.6%
Lincoln
84.2
Omaha
86.4
🛒 Groceries≈ Equal
Lincoln
94.1
Omaha
94.1
🚗 Transportation≈ Equal
Lincoln
97.6
Omaha
97.6
🏥 Healthcare≈ Equal
Lincoln
88.3
Omaha
88.3
Utilities≈ Equal
Lincoln
76.8
Omaha
76.4

Salary Equivalency Calculator

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

$
Equivalent salary in Omaha, NE
$80,300
$300 more needed in Omaha

Formula: salary × (91.9 ÷ 91.6) = salary × 1.0033. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Lincoln, NE

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

Omaha, NE

Median Home Price
$295,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,400
Housing Index
86.4
Price-to-Rent Ratio
17.6×

Omaha has 2.6% higher housing costs compared to Lincoln.

Income & Job Market

Lincoln, NE

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

Omaha, NE

Median Household Income
$81,400
Per Capita Income
$46,400
Unemployment Rate
2.6%
Population
486,051
Top Industries
FinanceInsuranceHealthcareTelecommunicationsManufacturing

Affordability at a Glance

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

Lincoln, NE
4.7×income-to-rent ratio

79% of income left after rent (median)

Omaha, NE
4.8×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.