CostIndexUSA

Cleveland, OH vs Lincoln, NE Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

OH
Cleveland
93.9
overall index
$1,400/mo rent
More AffordableNE
Lincoln
91.6
overall index
$1,275/mo rent

Lincoln is slightly cheaper than Cleveland — 2.4% lower overall cost of living.

To match an $80,000 salary in Cleveland, you would need $78,000 in Lincoln. Calculate your salary ↓

Category Breakdown

Index values: 100 = U.S. national average. Higher = more expensive.

🏠 Housing+6.0%
Cleveland
79.4
Lincoln
84.2
🛒 Groceries≈ Equal
Cleveland
93.6
Lincoln
94.1
🚗 Transportation6.1%
Cleveland
103.9
Lincoln
97.6
🏥 Healthcare6.1%
Cleveland
94
Lincoln
88.3
Utilities20.0%
Cleveland
96
Lincoln
76.8

Salary Equivalency Calculator

Enter your current salary in Cleveland to see what you'd need to earn in Lincoln to maintain the same purchasing power.

$
Equivalent salary in Lincoln, NE
$78,000
$2,000 less needed in Lincoln

Formula: salary × (91.6 ÷ 93.9) = salary × 0.9755. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Cleveland, OH

Median Home Price
$236,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,400
Housing Index
79.4
Price-to-Rent Ratio
14.0×

Lincoln, NE

Median Home Price
$289,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,275
Housing Index
84.2
Price-to-Rent Ratio
18.9×

Lincoln has 6.0% higher housing costs compared to Cleveland.

Income & Job Market

Cleveland, OH

Median Household Income
$67,600
Per Capita Income
$38,500
Unemployment Rate
4.8%
Population
372,624
Top Industries
HealthcareManufacturingFinanceTechnologyEducation

Lincoln, NE

Median Household Income
$71,200
Per Capita Income
$40,600
Unemployment Rate
2.7%
Population
289,102
Top Industries
EducationHealthcareGovernmentFinanceManufacturing

Affordability at a Glance

Income-to-rent ratio: higher is better (more income relative to housing costs).

Cleveland, OH
4.0×income-to-rent ratio

75% of income left after rent (median)

Lincoln, NE
4.7×income-to-rent ratio

79% of income left after rent (median)

Data Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities 2024; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Zillow Research.

Cost indices use 100 as the U.S. national average. Values above 100 indicate costs above the national average. Data is updated annually.

This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for relocation or financial decisions.