Lincoln Niles

Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources

Verdict
Less Favorable
Cost Index: 91.6 → 92.4
Rent Delta: +$43/mo

Pros of Moving

  • + More affordable childcare
  • + Fewer environmental violations

Cons of Moving

  • - $4K lower median salary
  • - Higher violent crime rate
  • - Higher student-teacher ratios

Moving from Lincoln to Niles shifts your BEA Regional Price Parity from 91.6 to 92.4 (100 = US average), so a Lincoln salary needs to be multiplied by 1.01 to hold the same purchasing power in Niles. On rent, HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom goes from $1,141/month in Lincoln to $1,184/month in Niles - a higher monthly bill of $43, or $516/year. That rent delta alone is often the single biggest line item when relocating.

Wages tell the other half. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics report a median salary of $65,897 in Lincoln versus $61,444 in Niles - a raw gap of $4,453 lower. The Niles labor market has 51,600 tracked jobs against 174,050 in Lincoln, shaping how easy it is to find a comparable role. Combine that with the cost-of-living shift above and you get the real purchasing-power delta, sometimes a "higher salary" is actually a pay cut once rent and RPP are applied.

Safety, schools, and childcare round out the move. FBI UCR violent crime rates near Lincoln and Niles are 217 and 431 per 100,000 (state-level). NCES student-teacher ratios run 13.5:1 at origin versus 17.5:1 at destination. DOL center-based infant care costs $9,863/year in Lincoln versus $7,444/year in Niles. Our composite verdict - Less Favorable - weighs all seven federal sources; the dimension table below lets you override that with your personal priorities.

Dimension
Lincoln
Niles
Winner
💰 Cost of Living
RPP 91.6
RPP 92.4
Lincoln
🏠 Rent (2BR)
$1,141/mo
$1,184/mo
Lincoln
💼 Wages
$65,897
$61,444
Lincoln
🔒 Crime
217 per 100K
431 per 100K
Lincoln
🎓 Schools
13.5:1
17.5:1
Lincoln
👶 Childcare
$9,863/yr
$7,444/yr
Niles
🌿 Environment
2160 violations
1000 violations
Niles

Salary Adjustment Calculator

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

Equivalent salary in Niles
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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Niles more expensive than Lincoln?
Niles has an RPP of 92.4 compared to Lincoln's 91.6 (100 = national average). Niles is more expensive overall. The 2BR rent in Niles is $1,184/mo vs $1,141/mo in Lincoln.
What are salaries like in Niles compared to Lincoln?
The median salary in Niles is $61,444 compared to $65,897 in Lincoln. That's a -$4,453 difference.
Is Niles safer than Lincoln?
The violent crime rate near Niles is 431 per 100K vs 217 per 100K near Lincoln (state-level data). Lincoln has a lower crime rate.
How much would I need to earn in Niles to match my Lincoln salary?
To maintain the same purchasing power, multiply your Lincoln salary by 1.01. For example, a $75,000 salary in Lincoln would need to be $75,646 in Niles. Use the salary calculator above for your exact figure.
What does the "Less Favorable" verdict mean?
The verdict is computed from 7 dimensions, cost of living, rent, wages, crime, schools, childcare, and environment, using federal data. "Less Favorable" means the origin edges ahead on balance. Individual priorities may shift the balance, weigh the dimensions that matter most to you.

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Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents, BLS OES, FBI UCR, NCES, DOL, EPA June 2026

Data Sources

  • Cost of Living: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities
  • Rent: HUD Fair Market Rents (FMR)
  • Wages: Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES)
  • Crime: FBI Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) - state level
  • Schools: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
  • Childcare: Department of Labor (DOL) - state level
  • Environment: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)