City comparison
Atlantic City, NJ vs Indianapolis, IN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Atlantic City, NJ are 3.3% higher than in Indianapolis, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in Indianapolis, IN would need about $103,300 in Atlantic City, NJ to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,537 a month in Atlantic City, NJ versus $1,267 in Indianapolis, IN. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Atlantic City, NJ and 20% in Indianapolis, IN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,260 a year higher in Atlantic City, NJ than in Indianapolis, IN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −8.4% moving from Atlantic City, NJ to Indianapolis, IN ($117,284 → $107,428), while prices change by −3.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.4% in real buying power.
- Atlantic City, NJ: price level 98.9 (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
| Atlantic City, NJ | Indianapolis, IN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.9 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,802 in Indianapolis | $103,303 in Atlantic City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,537/mo | $1,267/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,000 | $76,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,180 (NJ) | $2,921 (IN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,520 | $49,340 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN |
Rent areas: Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ HUD Metro FMR Area and Indianapolis-Carmel, IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ and Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Atlantic City | Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.7 | 88.9 |
| Goods | 99.8 | 94.3 |
| Utilities | 109.2 | 86.4 |
| Other services | 97.9 | 99.1 |
| Overall | 98.9 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Atlantic City, NJ → Indianapolis, IN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.3%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$1,260/yr.
79 Strong offer
Indianapolis, IN → Atlantic City, NJ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.2%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$1,260/yr.
59 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Atlantic City, NJ is in the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD pay area; Indianapolis, IN is in Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN. The last column shows what a transfer from Atlantic City, NJ to Indianapolis, IN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Atlantic City, NJ | Indianapolis, IN | Real change, Atlantic City → Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,013 | $62,297 | −5.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,289 | $75,374 | −5.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,630 | $90,341 | −5.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,284 | $107,428 | −5.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,595 | $126,947 | −5.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Atlantic City, NJ | Indianapolis, IN | Indianapolis pay in Atlantic City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,480 | $60,510 | $62,509 (−22.3%) |
| Software Developers | $126,670 | $106,870 | $110,400 (−12.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,040 | $79,290 | $81,909 (−1.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,320 | $84,230 | $87,012 (−12.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.