City comparison
Atlanta, GA vs Indianapolis, IN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Atlanta, GA are 4.6% higher than in Indianapolis, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in Indianapolis, IN would need about $104,600 in Atlanta, GA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,660 a month in Atlanta, GA versus $1,267 in Indianapolis, IN. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Atlanta, GA and 20% in Indianapolis, IN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,647 a year higher in Atlanta, GA than in Indianapolis, IN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.6% moving from Atlanta, GA to Indianapolis, IN ($112,556 → $107,428), while prices change by −4.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.2% in real buying power.
- Atlanta, GA: price level 100.1 (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
| Atlanta, GA | Indianapolis, IN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.1 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,641 in Indianapolis | $104,558 in Atlanta |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,660/mo | $1,267/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,613 | $76,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,567 (GA) | $2,921 (IN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 27% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,170 | $49,340 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL | Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN |
Rent areas: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA HUD Metro FMR Area and Indianapolis-Carmel, IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA and Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Atlanta | Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 111.0 | 88.9 |
| Goods | 100.4 | 94.3 |
| Utilities | 96.2 | 86.4 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 99.1 |
| Overall | 100.1 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Atlanta, GA → Indianapolis, IN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.6%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$1,647/yr.
83 Strong offer
Indianapolis, IN → Atlanta, GA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.4%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$1,647/yr.
53 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Atlanta, GA is in the Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL pay area; Indianapolis, IN is in Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN. The last column shows what a transfer from Atlanta, GA to Indianapolis, IN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Atlanta, GA | Indianapolis, IN | Real change, Atlanta → Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,271 | $62,297 | −0.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,972 | $75,374 | −0.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $94,654 | $90,341 | −0.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $112,556 | $107,428 | −0.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,007 | $126,947 | −0.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Atlanta, GA | Indianapolis, IN | Indianapolis pay in Atlanta dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,570 | $60,510 | $63,268 (−17.4%) |
| Software Developers | $132,960 | $106,870 | $111,741 (−16.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,820 | $79,290 | $82,904 (−3.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,490 | $84,230 | $88,069 (−12.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.