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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. And as far as the data shows, omaha leads at an index of 82 — a detail that tends to get overlooked — with rent at just $1,403/month — 26% less than the $1,895 national median. Here a…
Nebraska is a genuine bargain: 2 of the 2 cities in this ranking come in below the national cost-of-living average. And as far as the data shows, omaha leads at an index of 82 — a detail that tends to get overlooked — 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. Not flashy. Just effective.
Omaha is one of the cheaper options here. You get the picture. Rent is $1,403/month, which is lower than most cities in this ranking. The cost index is 82. Income sits at $72,708. That alone makes it worth considering.
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 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: 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
483,335 residents · Nebraska
Here's Omaha by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). And as far as the data shows, cost index: 82. That's more or less in line with the region. 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. That gap is hard to ignore. Solidly above average.
294,757 residents · Nebraska
So, Lincoln. Cost index of 76, rent at $1,293/month. It's lower than the national average. Median income is $69,991, which is below the national median. It's fine. Not great, not bad.
| 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.