Living Cost Compare
Jacksonville

Florida

$1,320/mo est.

vs
Lincoln

Nebraska

$1,030/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,320 in Jacksonville, FL versus $1,030 in Lincoln, NE. Overall, Lincoln, NE is roughly 22% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Jacksonville, FL, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $66,981 in Jacksonville, FL and $69,991 in Lincoln, NE — about 4% higher in Lincoln, NE. Florida has no state income tax and a 6% state sales tax; Nebraska has a top state income tax rate of 4.55% and a 5.5% state sales tax.

Jacksonville, FL
Lincoln, NE

Rent

Studio
$1,127
$851
+24% in Jacksonville, FL
1 Bedroom
$1,146
$879
+23% in Jacksonville, FL
2 Bedroom
$1,385
$1,070
+23% in Jacksonville, FL
3 Bedroom
$1,545
$1,379
+11% in Jacksonville, FL

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$266,100
$248,200
+7% in Jacksonville, FL

Income

Median Household Income
$66,981
$69,991
+4% in Lincoln, NE
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$48,830
$49,800
+2% in Lincoln, NE

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
36.4 yr
33.4 yr
+3.0 yr in Jacksonville, FL
Homeownership
57.4%
55.8%
+1.6 pp in Jacksonville, FL
Bachelor's+ (25+)
31.8%
41.0%
+9.2 pp in Lincoln, NE
Avg Commute
24.1 min
18.3 min
+5.8 min in Jacksonville, FL

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
558.4
363.1
+35% in Jacksonville, FL
Property Crime
2,600.1
2,484.4
+4% in Jacksonville, FL

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
70.2°F
51.5°F
+18.7°F in Jacksonville, FL
Annual Precipitation
49.2 in
30.9 in
+18.3 in in Jacksonville, FL

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.77/gal
$3.94/gal
+5% in Lincoln, NE

Area: Florida vs Midwest (PADD 2).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$1.75
—

Adult base one-way fare — JTA vs — (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
15.2
13.6
+10% in Jacksonville, FL
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$23.62
$15.53
+34% in Jacksonville, FL

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.00
$4.31
+8% in Lincoln, NE
Bread (lb)
$1.75
$1.66
+5% in Jacksonville, FL
Eggs (doz)
$2.21
$3.63
+64% in Lincoln, NE
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.45
$6.77
+5% in Lincoln, NE
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$2.10
+10% in Lincoln, NE
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.62
about equal

Average prices — South vs Midwest (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (FL / NE)
6%
5.5%
+0.5 pp in FL
Income Tax (top rate)
None
4.55%
+4.5 pp in NE

Jacksonville vs Lincoln — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Jacksonville or Lincoln?
Lincoln, NE is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,030 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 22% below Jacksonville, FL's $1,320, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Jacksonville than in Lincoln?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $46,000 a year in Jacksonville versus $35,000 in Lincoln.
Which has lower taxes, Jacksonville or Lincoln?
Jacksonville is taxed under Florida's rules (no state income tax and a 6% state sales tax); Lincoln under Nebraska's (a top state income tax rate of 4.55% and a 5.5% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).