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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. Omaha leads at an index of 82 with rent at just $1,403/month — 26% less than the $1,895 national median. Here are the numbers, sourced from federal data updated in 2026.
#1 Ranked: Omaha — cost index 82, rent $1,403/mo, income $72,708
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
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Omaha | 5.84% | 6.94% | 1.54% | $51,851 |
2Lincoln | 5.84% | 6.94% | 1.54% | $51,851 |
Nebraska is a genuine bargain: 2 of the 2 cities in this ranking come in below the national cost-of-living average. Omaha leads at an index of 82 with rent at just $1,403/month — 26% less than the $1,895 national median. Here are the numbers, sourced from federal data updated in 2026.
Tax burden isn't just income tax. We combine three layers: state income tax (5.84% in Omaha), combined state+local sales tax (6.94%), and effective property tax (1.54%). At 5.84% state income tax, the real differentiator becomes sales and property tax rates. On a $75,000 salary, the estimated take-home in #1 Omaha is $53,330/year.
What does daily life actually cost in Omaha? Start with the 23% rent-to-income ratio — that's the kind of margin that lets people build savings. On the category level, Housing (index 82) is where the real savings show up, while Healthcare (index 96) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $72,708 and homes at $288,850 round out a profile that ranks #1 for clear reasons.
If you're ready to act on this, three things to do next: 1) Click into the city pages for the top 3 and check rent trends — direction matters more than the snapshot. 2) Run your income through the salary calculator for a personalized cost comparison. 3) Compare your top two picks head-to-head on our comparison page. The data is here; the decision is yours.
483,335 residents · Nebraska
What does daily life actually cost in Omaha? Start with the 23% rent-to-income ratio — that's the kind of margin that lets people build savings. On the category level, Housing (index 82) is where the real savings show up, while Healthcare (index 96) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $72,708 — which, honestly, is lower than you'd expect here — and homes at $288,850 round out a profile that ranks #1 for clear reasons.
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. The delta here is big enough to fund a retirement account.
Cities are ranked by effective property tax rate within Nebraska. Property taxes can vary significantly between municipalities even within the same state due to local levies, school districts, and assessment practices. 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.
Omaha ranks #1 in Nebraska for this analysis with a cost index of 82 and median income of $72,708.
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.
Omaha (ranked #1) has a cost index of 82 and rent of $1,403/mo, while Lincoln (ranked #2) has a cost index of 76 and rent of $1,293/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 Omaha is $1,403/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $492 below the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in Omaha is $288,850, which is 4.0× 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.