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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Nebraska is a genuine bargain: 2 of the 2 cities in this ranking come in below the national cost-of-living average. Lincoln leads at an index of 76 with rent at just $1,293/month — 32% less than the $1,895 national median. Here are the numbers, sourced from federal data updated in 2026.
Nebraska is a genuine bargain: 2 of the 2 cities in this ranking come in below the national cost-of-living average. Lincoln leads at an index of 76 with rent at just $1,293/month — 32% less than the $1,895 national median. Here are the numbers, sourced from federal data updated in 2026.
Lincoln earns its position at #1 through a combination that's hard to replicate. The 76 cost index sits 35 points below the national baseline, and the $69,991 median income means purchasing power here is amplified by the low cost base. Homes list at $285,359 — $182,011 below the national median — a genuine ownership opportunity. On the cost side, Housing leads the way at 76, while Healthcare trails at 95.
What to do with this data: use the ranking as a shortlist, then dig into the city profiles for trend lines and category breakdowns. The difference between #1 and #5 is often smaller than the difference between "good on paper" and "actually fits my life." Compare your top picks with our calculator to see real take-home numbers.
#1 Ranked: Lincoln — cost index 76, rent $1,293/mo, income $69,991
2 of 2 cities come in below the national cost-of-living average of 111
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
294,757 residents · Nebraska
Here's Lincoln by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 76. Rent: $1,293/month. Income: $69,991/year. Home price: $285,359. Population: 294,757. The strongest category is Housing at 76; the most expensive is Healthcare at 95. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $7,224 per year vs. the national median. Over thirty years of homeownership, the property tax savings alone are staggering.
483,335 residents · Nebraska
Here's Omaha by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). And depending on your situation, cost index: 82. Rent: $1,403/month. Income: $72,708/year. Home price: $288,850. Population: 483,335. The strongest category is Housing at 82; the most expensive is Healthcare at 96. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $5,904 per year vs. the national median. This stands out as genuinely impressive.
Cities are ranked by their food & groceries cost sub-index within Nebraska. Each sub-index is derived from the overall cost of living with regional adjustment factors. All data is sourced from federal agencies and verified research institutions. Cost of living indices are normalized to 100 (national median) using Zillow rent as the primary signal, with sub-category adjustments derived from regional BLS price data. Rankings are updated monthly as new data is released.
Lincoln ranks #1 in Nebraska for this analysis with a cost index of 76 and median income of $69,991.
Lincoln, NE has the lowest food & groceries index at 91, compared to the national average of 100.
Our cost of living index uses real Zillow rent data as the foundation, indexed to 100 (national median). Sub-categories (housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare) are derived from the overall index with regional adjustments. Data is updated monthly.
Lincoln (ranked #1) has a cost index of 76 and rent of $1,293/mo, while Omaha (ranked #2) has a cost index of 82 and rent of $1,403/mo — a 6-point difference in cost of living.
City data is refreshed monthly from Census Bureau population estimates, Zillow rent and home price indices, BLS salary data, and Tax Foundation tax rates. Last updated: 2026.
The median 1-bedroom rent in Lincoln is $1,293/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $602 below the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in Lincoln is $285,359, which is 4.1× the local median income. It's on the edge of affordability for median-income households. The national median home price is $467,370.
Nebraska has a 5.84% state income tax rate. Combined state and local sales tax averages 6.94%, and the effective property tax rate is 1.54%.
This ranking was generated using data current as of early 2026. Population and income data comes from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (5-year estimates). Rent and home price data is from Zillow's monthly releases. Tax rates are from the Tax Foundation's 2025 edition. Rankings are refreshed monthly.