City comparison
Ann Arbor, MI vs Indianapolis, IN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Ann Arbor, MI are 5.4% higher than in Indianapolis, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in Indianapolis, IN would need about $105,400 in Ann Arbor, MI to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,387 a month in Ann Arbor, MI versus $1,267 in Indianapolis, IN. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Ann Arbor, MI and 20% in Indianapolis, IN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,079 a year higher in Ann Arbor, MI than in Indianapolis, IN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −8.5% moving from Ann Arbor, MI to Indianapolis, IN ($117,402 → $107,428), while prices change by −5.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.5% in real buying power.
- Ann Arbor, MI: price level 100.9 (about average)
- 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
| Ann Arbor, MI | Indianapolis, IN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.9 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,861 in Indianapolis | $105,417 in Ann Arbor |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,387/mo | $1,267/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $76,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $2,921 (IN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,380 | $49,340 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN |
Rent areas: Ann Arbor, MI MSA and Indianapolis-Carmel, IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Ann Arbor, MI and Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Ann Arbor | Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.3 | 88.9 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 94.3 |
| Utilities | 98.2 | 86.4 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 99.1 |
| Overall | 100.9 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Ann Arbor, MI → Indianapolis, IN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.4%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$1,079/yr.
86 Strong offer
Indianapolis, IN → Ann Arbor, MI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.1%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$1,079/yr.
53 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Ann Arbor, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Indianapolis, IN is in Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN. The last column shows what a transfer from Ann Arbor, MI to Indianapolis, IN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Ann Arbor, MI | Indianapolis, IN | Real change, Ann Arbor → Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $62,297 | −3.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $75,374 | −3.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $90,341 | −3.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $107,428 | −3.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $126,947 | −3.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Ann Arbor, MI | Indianapolis, IN | Indianapolis pay in Ann Arbor dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,060 | $60,510 | $63,788 (−0.4%) |
| Software Developers | $126,830 | $106,870 | $112,659 (−11.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,040 | $79,290 | $83,585 (+4.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,450 | $84,230 | $88,793 (−14.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.