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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 to $1,403/mo over the past 12 months — a 3% increase. Rising costs may erode its top ranking over time. That gap is hard to ignore (that's pre-tax, of course).
#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 to $1,403/mo over the past 12 months — a 3% increase. Rising costs may erode its top ranking over time. That gap is hard to ignore (that's pre-tax, of course).
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.
Why Omaha ranks #1: 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.
Contrast this with: 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. And most of the time, 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
The numbers for Omaha are straightforward: 82 on the cost index, $1,403/month rent, $72,708 income. Not the most exciting entry in the list, but solid. Not the most exciting stat, but it matters.
294,757 residents · Nebraska
Lincoln earns its position at #2 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.
Cities are ranked by median household income using Census ACS data. Income alone doesn't tell the full story — we also show cost of living index so you can gauge real purchasing power in each city across Nebraska. 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.