Omaha vs Lincoln
Omaha, NE · Lincoln, NE
Lincoln is 4% cheaper than Omaha overall.
Home Price
Omaha: $260,000
Lincoln: $235,000
Monthly Rent
Omaha: $941/mo
Lincoln: $795/mo
COL Index
Omaha: 91
Lincoln: 87
Median Income
Omaha: $68,200
Lincoln: $60,800
Side-by-Side Comparison
Median Home Price
Monthly Rent (Median)
Median Household Income
Property Tax Rate
Cost of Living Index
100 = national average
Avg. Commute
Unemployment Rate
Median Age
What This Means For You
Buying Power
A $100,000 salary in Omaha has the same purchasing power as $95,604 in Lincoln — based on each city's cost of living index.
Housing
Homes in Lincoln cost 10% more (-$25,000 extra). Expect a larger mortgage and down payment.
Renting
Renting in Lincoln saves you $146/month — $1,752 per year. Median rent: $941/mo in Omaha vs $795/mo in Lincoln.
Property Taxes
On a median-priced home, Omaha owners pay roughly $4,160/year in property taxes vs $3,760/year in Lincoln. Rates are comparable.
Local Earnings
Median household income is $68,200 in Omaha and $60,800 in Lincoln. Lincoln residents earn 11% more — but remember to factor in cost of living.
Daily Commute
Average commute is 21 minutes in Omaha vs 19 minutes in Lincoln. Commute times are nearly identical.
Salary Equivalence
To maintain the same lifestyle when moving from Omaha to Lincoln, here's the salary you'd need:
| Salary in Omaha | Equivalent in Lincoln | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $47,802 | -$2,198 |
| $75,000 | $71,703 | -$3,297 |
| $100,000 | $95,604 | -$4,396 |
| $150,000 | $143,407 | -$6,593 |
| $200,000 | $191,209 | -$8,791 |
* Calculated using cost of living indices (national average = 100). Does not account for state income tax differences.
Run the Numbers
Mortgage Calculator
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Rent vs Buy
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Cost of Living
Full cost of living comparison tool
Home Appreciation
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Affordability Calculator
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Property Tax Calculator
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Omaha Calculators
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Omaha vs Lincoln: Common Questions
Is Omaha or Lincoln cheaper to live in?
Based on cost of living indices, Lincoln is cheaper overall. Omaha has a COL index of 91 while Lincoln scores 87 (national average = 100).
How do home prices compare between Omaha and Lincoln?
The median home price in Omaha is $260,000 vs $235,000 in Lincoln — a difference of $25,000 (10%).
What salary do I need in Lincoln to match my Omaha income?
Use the salary equivalence table above. For example, a $100K salary in Omaha is equivalent to $95,604 in Lincoln in terms of purchasing power.
Which city has lower property taxes?
Lincoln has a lower property tax rate (1.6% vs 1.6%). On a median-priced home, that means paying $3,760/year vs $4,160/year.
Cost of living data sourced from Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) Cost of Living Index, U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey, and Zillow Research. Tax rates from Tax Foundation and state revenue agencies. Last updated: March 2025.