PlainCost
Home / States / Nebraska

State cost profile · 2024 BEA RPP

Cost of Living in Nebraska

Statewide Regional Price Parities for Nebraska from the Bureau of Economic Analysis — overall, goods, services, and rents vs the U.S. average of 100, across 3 metro areas.

90.1
Statewide RPP
#41
of 51 states by cost
75.2
Rents RPP
3
Metro areas

The verdict

Nebraska costs less than 80% of U.S. states — a statewide index of 90.1, 9.9% below the national average.

90.1
statewide cost index (US average = 100)
#41
of 51 states by overall cost
bottom 20%
nationally, among all states
75.2
rents RPP — the biggest budget swing

A $100,000 national salary carries the purchasing power of about $110,984 when earned in Nebraska.

Reading the Nebraska Cost of Living Picture

The Bureau of Economic Analysis places Nebraska's statewide Regional Price Parity at 90.1 for the 2024 data year, 9.9% less expensive the U.S. baseline of 100. Inside the headline figure, the state's categories sit near average, while rents offer the biggest relief at 75.2. That internal spread — rather than the single state number — is what determines whether a household actually feels priced in or priced out.

Nebraska captures 3 metro areas in the BEA dataset, and the range across them is meaningful. Omaha, NE-IA leads on cost at 91.9, while Grand Island, NE sits at the opposite end at 86.7 — a gap of 5.3 index points inside a single state. For goods the state indexes at 94.1, for services 75.6, and for rents 75.2 — the rent figure tends to be the most volatile input and deserves its own line-item review before any relocation decision.

Over time, Nebraska's statewide index has held steady within 0.5 points, suggesting a stable competitive position against other states. Practically, this means a $100,000 national salary delivers the purchasing power of about $110,984 of national buying power when earned inside Nebraska, and a household relocating here would need roughly $90,103 to reproduce a $100K lifestyle. Pair these numbers with metro-specific wage data and rent tables before treating the statewide figure as your planning assumption.

90.1
Overall
94.1
Goods
75.6
Services
75.2
Rents

Nebraska vs every U.S. state

Where this state sits in the national cost distribution

90 Top 80% higher than 20% of 51 US states

84–87: 2 US states (4%). Below this entry. 87–90: 7 US states (14%). Below this entry. 90–93: 8 US states (16%). This entry sits in this band. 93–96: 6 US states (12%). Above this entry. 96–99: 8 US states (16%). Above this entry. 99–102: 5 US states (10%). Above this entry. 102–105: 8 US states (16%). Above this entry. 105–108: 3 US states (6%). Above this entry. 108–111: 4 US states (8%). Above this entry. 111–114: 0 US states (0%). Above this entry. 114–117: 0 US states (0%). Above this entry. This state 84 117 every US state (incl. DC), bucketed by value

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US states. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities · 2024

Most Expensive in Nebraska → Cheapest in Nebraska →

Metro areas in Nebraska, ranked by cost

# Metro area OverallGoodsServicesRents
1 Omaha 91.9 94.1 76.4 86.4
2 Lincoln 91.6 94.1 76.8 84.2
3 Grand Island 86.7 94.1 74.2 61.7

The Rents RPP index measures housing costs relative to the national average (100). For the federal 40th-percentile Fair Market Rent by bedroom size and county, see the HUD Fair Market Rents dataset.

RPP History

Year Overall
2008 89.6
2009 90.6
2010 92.1
2011 91.4
2012 92.3
2013 91.8
2014 91.8
2015 91.2
2016 90.8
2017 89.8
2018 91.8
2019 92.5
2020 92.8
2021 92.0
2022 89.8
2023 90.3
2024 90.1

Cost of Living Guides

Cheapest Metros to Live in 2026
Official BEA data on the most affordable areas
Most Expensive Cities: 2026 Rankings
What drives high costs and how to cope
Cost of Living vs Wages
Where your dollar goes furthest
Understanding Regional Price Parities
How BEA constructs RPP data

View all guides →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cost of living in Nebraska? ▼
Nebraska has a Regional Price Parity (RPP) index of 90.1, meaning it is 9.9% less expensive than the national average. Goods are indexed at 94.1, services at 75.6, and rents at 75.2.
What salary in Nebraska equals $100K nationally? ▼
To maintain the same purchasing power as a $100,000 salary at the national average, you would need approximately $90,103 in Nebraska. Conversely, $100K earned in Nebraska has the purchasing power of $110,984 at the national average.
Is housing expensive in Nebraska? ▼
Rents in Nebraska are indexed at 75.2, which is 24.8% below the national average. The state is relatively affordable for renters.
Which is the most expensive metro in Nebraska? ▼
The most expensive metro area in Nebraska is Omaha, NE-IA with an RPP of 91.9. The most affordable is Grand Island, NE at 86.7. There are 3 metro areas in Nebraska with BEA price data.
Is Nebraska getting more expensive? ▼
From 2008 to 2024, Nebraska's overall cost index changed by +0.5 points (from 89.6 to 90.1). The cost of living has remained relatively stable.

Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities Index where national average = 100

Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.