Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk Lincoln

Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources

Verdict
Favorable
Cost Index: 97.9 → 91.6
Rent Delta: -$146/mo

Pros of Moving

  • + 6% lower cost of living
  • + $146/mo cheaper rent (2BR)

Cons of Moving

  • - $3K lower median salary

Moving from Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk to Lincoln shifts your BEA Regional Price Parity from 97.9 to 91.6 (100 = US average), so a Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk salary needs to be multiplied by 0.94 to hold the same purchasing power in Lincoln. On rent, HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom goes from $1,287/month in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk to $1,141/month in Lincoln - a lower monthly bill of $146, or $1,752/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 $69,292 in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk versus $65,897 in Lincoln - a raw gap of $3,395 lower. The Lincoln labor market has 174,050 tracked jobs against 741,260 in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, 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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk and Lincoln are 223 and 217 per 100,000 (state-level). NCES student-teacher ratios run 13.9:1 at origin versus 13.5:1 at destination. DOL center-based infant care costs $10,407/year in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk versus $9,863/year in Lincoln. Our composite verdict - Favorable - weighs all seven federal sources; the dimension table below lets you override that with your personal priorities.

Dimension
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk
Lincoln
Winner
💰 Cost of Living
RPP 97.9
RPP 91.6
Lincoln
🏠 Rent (2BR)
$1,287/mo
$1,141/mo
Lincoln
💼 Wages
$69,292
$65,897
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk
🔒 Crime
223 per 100K
217 per 100K
Lincoln
🎓 Schools
13.9:1
13.5:1
Lincoln
👶 Childcare
$10,407/yr
$9,863/yr
Lincoln
🌿 Environment
1855 violations
2160 violations
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk

Salary Adjustment Calculator

Enter your current salary in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk to see what you'd need to earn in Lincoln to maintain the same purchasing power.

Equivalent salary in Lincoln
-

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Lincoln more expensive than Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
Lincoln has an RPP of 91.6 compared to Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk's 97.9 (100 = national average). Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk is more expensive overall. The 2BR rent in Lincoln is $1,141/mo vs $1,287/mo in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk.
What are salaries like in Lincoln compared to Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
The median salary in Lincoln is $65,897 compared to $69,292 in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk. That's a -$3,395 difference.
Is Lincoln safer than Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
The violent crime rate near Lincoln is 217 per 100K vs 223 per 100K near Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk (state-level data). Lincoln has a lower crime rate.
How much would I need to earn in Lincoln to match my Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk salary?
To maintain the same purchasing power, multiply your Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk salary by 0.94. For example, a $75,000 salary in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk would need to be $70,130 in Lincoln. Use the salary calculator above for your exact figure.
What does the "Favorable" verdict mean?
The verdict is computed from 7 dimensions, cost of living, rent, wages, crime, schools, childcare, and environment, using federal data. "Favorable" means the destination edges ahead on balance. Individual priorities may shift the balance, weigh the dimensions that matter most to you.

Explore PlainRelocate

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)