Living Cost Compare
Omaha

Nebraska

$1,130/mo est.

vs
Wilmington

Delaware

$1,230/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,130 in Omaha, NE versus $1,230 in Wilmington, DE. Overall, Omaha, NE is roughly 8% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Wilmington, DE, driven mainly by electricity costs.

Median household income is $72,708 in Omaha, NE and $55,269 in Wilmington, DE — about 24% higher in Omaha, NE. Nebraska has a top state income tax rate of 4.55% and a 5.5% state sales tax; Delaware has a top state income tax rate of 6.60% and no state sales tax.

Omaha, NE
Wilmington, DE

Rent

Studio
$908
$1,103
+21% in Wilmington, DE
1 Bedroom
$984
$1,024
+4% in Wilmington, DE
2 Bedroom
$1,193
$1,213
+2% in Wilmington, DE
3 Bedroom
$1,437
$1,394
+3% in Omaha, NE

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$230,100
$224,500
+2% in Omaha, NE

Income

Median Household Income
$72,708
$55,269
+24% in Omaha, NE
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$49,660
$54,310
+9% in Wilmington, DE

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
35.3 yr
37.0 yr
+1.7 yr in Wilmington, DE
Homeownership
57.7%
46.0%
+11.7 pp in Omaha, NE
Bachelor's+ (25+)
40.3%
33.1%
+7.2 pp in Omaha, NE
Avg Commute
19.6 min
23.0 min
+3.4 min in Wilmington, DE

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
359
1,138.2
+217% in Wilmington, DE
Property Crime
3,153.5
3,182.4
+1% in Wilmington, DE

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
51.1°F
54.9°F
+3.8°F in Wilmington, DE
Annual Precipitation
30.6 in
43.1 in
+12.5 in in Wilmington, DE

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.94/gal
$3.86/gal
+2% in Omaha, NE

Area: Midwest (PADD 2) vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$1.25
—

Adult base one-way fare — Metro Transit (Omaha) vs — (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
13.6
19.4
+43% in Wilmington, DE
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$15.53
$22.51
+45% in Wilmington, DE

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.31
$4.00
+7% in Omaha, NE
Bread (lb)
$1.66
$1.75
+5% in Wilmington, DE
Eggs (doz)
$3.63
$2.21
+39% in Omaha, NE
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.77
$6.45
+5% in Omaha, NE
Chicken (lb)
$2.10
$1.90
+9% in Omaha, NE
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.62
about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (NE / DE)
5.5%
None
+5.5 pp in NE
Income Tax (top rate)
4.55%
6.60%
+2.0 pp in DE

Omaha vs Wilmington — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Omaha or Wilmington?
Omaha, NE is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,130 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 8% below Wilmington, DE's $1,230, mainly because of electricity costs.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Omaha than in Wilmington?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $39,000 a year in Omaha versus $41,000 in Wilmington.
Which has lower taxes, Omaha or Wilmington?
Omaha is taxed under Nebraska's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.55% and a 5.5% state sales tax); Wilmington under Delaware's (a top state income tax rate of 6.60% and no 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).