City comparison
Anchorage, AK vs Indianapolis, IN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Anchorage, AK are 10.2% higher than in Indianapolis, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in Indianapolis, IN would need about $110,200 in Anchorage, AK to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,243 a month in Anchorage, AK and $1,267 in Indianapolis, IN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,921 a year higher in Indianapolis, IN than in Anchorage, AK.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.7% moving from Anchorage, AK to Indianapolis, IN ($120,348 → $107,428), while prices change by −9.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.7% in real buying power.
- Anchorage, AK: price level 105.4 (pricier)
- Indianapolis, IN: price level 95.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Anchorage, AK | Indianapolis, IN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.4 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,776 in Indianapolis | $110,161 in Anchorage |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,243/mo | $1,267/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (AK) | $2,921 (IN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,200 | $49,340 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | State of Alaska | Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN |
Rent areas: Anchorage, AK HUD Metro FMR Area and Indianapolis-Carmel, IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Anchorage, AK and Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Anchorage | Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 109.9 | 88.9 |
| Goods | 107.3 | 94.3 |
| Utilities | 111.8 | 86.4 |
| Other services | 103.3 | 99.1 |
| Overall | 105.4 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Anchorage, AK → Indianapolis, IN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.2%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$2,921/yr.
100 Strong offer
Indianapolis, IN → Anchorage, AK
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.2%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$2,921/yr.
40 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Anchorage, AK is in the State of Alaska pay area; Indianapolis, IN is in Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN. The last column shows what a transfer from Anchorage, AK to Indianapolis, IN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Anchorage, AK | Indianapolis, IN | Real change, Anchorage → Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,789 | $62,297 | −1.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,439 | $75,374 | −1.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,206 | $90,341 | −1.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,348 | $107,428 | −1.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,216 | $126,947 | −1.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Anchorage, AK | Indianapolis, IN | Indianapolis pay in Anchorage dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,270 | $60,510 | $66,659 (−15.9%) |
| Software Developers | $104,030 | $106,870 | $117,729 (+13.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,150 | $79,290 | $87,347 (+6.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $115,290 | $84,230 | $92,789 (−19.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.