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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Omaha rent up 3% over the past year. Rent in #1-ranked Omaha has increased from $1,359 — for better or worse — to $1,403/mo over the past 12 months — a 3% increase. Rising costs may erode its top ranking over time. That alone makes it worth considering.
#1 Ranked: Omaha — cost index 82, rent $1,403/mo, income $72,708
Omaha rent up 3% over the past year
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
Omaha rent up 3% over the past year. Rent in #1-ranked Omaha has increased from $1,359 — for better or worse — to $1,403/mo over the past 12 months — a 3% increase. Rising costs may erode its top ranking over time. That alone makes it worth considering.
The numbers are clear: 2 of 2 cities in Nebraska beat the national cost-of-living benchmark of 111. Omaha stands out at 82 on the index, with rent of $1,403/month and household income of $72,708. Assembled from 2026 Census, Zillow, and BLS data.
Dive into Omaha's numbers: cost index 82 (29 points below national average), rent $1,403/month, income $72,708, and a home price of $288,850. The city's cost profile isn't flat — Housing is the cheapest category at 82, while Healthcare runs 96. With 483,335 residents, it balances mid-size city convenience with manageable costs.
Keep reading — the next section adds critical context. And depending on your situation, the 2 cities we track in Nebraska paint a clearly affordable picture. Average cost index: 79. Median rent: $1,348/month. Household income: $71,350. Nebraska is known for flyover affordability hiding in plain sight — and the data backs that reputation convincingly.
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.
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. And more often than not, 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.
294,757 residents · Nebraska
A closer look at Lincoln: the cost index of 76 — for better or worse — breaks down to a Housing index of 76 (strongest category) and a Healthcare index of 95 (weakest). Median rent is $1,293/month — 32% below the national median — while household income sits at $69,991, meaning locals spend about 22% of income on rent. That's a healthy margin by any standard.
| 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 |
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.