Loading
Assembling your view…
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
In plain English: 0 of 2 cities keep rent under 30% of $30K. The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $30K salary, 0 cities (0%) meet this threshold. That's a tough market.
#1 Ranked: Lincoln — cost index 76, rent $1,293/mo, income $69,991
0 of 2 cities keep rent under 30% of $30K
0 of 2 cities keep rent under 30% of $30K gross income
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
In plain English: 0 of 2 cities keep rent under 30% of $30K. The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $30K salary, 0 cities (0%) meet this threshold. That's a tough market.
The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $30K salary, 0 cities (0%) meet this threshold. That's a tough market. We ran the numbers on 2 cities in Nebraska using 2026 census, rent, and salary data. Lincoln comes out on top — here's the full ranking and analysis.
Here's Lincoln by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). And more often than not, 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. Run the numbers annually, and it's like getting a bonus you didn't negotiate (that's pre-tax, of course). The math checks out.
Balance that against the cost side: Here's the state-level backdrop: Nebraska averages a 79 cost index, $1,348/mo rent, and $71,350 income across 2 cities. That's $547 less than the national rent average. Flyover affordability hiding in plain sight — and that context shapes every city in this ranking.
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.
294,757 residents · Nebraska
Why Lincoln ranks #1: the numbers tell a clear story. At 76 on the cost index, residents save roughly 35% less than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,293/month while the median household pulls in $69,991/year. The Housing category is particularly strong at 76, though Healthcare (95) lags behind. Home prices average $285,359 — $182,011 below the national median.
483,335 residents · Nebraska
Why Omaha ranks #2: the numbers tell a clear story. At 82 on the cost index, residents save roughly 29% less than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,403/month while the median household pulls in $72,708/year. The Housing category is particularly strong at 82, though Healthcare (96) lags behind. Home prices average $288,850 — $178,520 below the national median.
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Lincoln | 5.84% | 6.94% | 1.54% | $22,585 |
2Omaha | 5.84% | 6.94% | 1.54% | $22,585 |
Lincoln ranks #1 in Nebraska for this analysis with a cost index of 76 and median income of $69,991.
Yes. On a $30K salary in Lincoln, rent would consume about 52% of your gross monthly income. Financial experts recommend keeping rent under 30%. It's tight — consider a roommate or nearby suburb.
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.
After federal taxes, FICA (7.65%), and 5.84% state income tax, estimated take-home on $30K in Lincoln is approximately $22,585/year ($1,882/month). After median rent of $1,293/month, you'd have roughly $7,069/year for all other expenses.
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.