City comparison
Austin, TX vs Indianapolis, IN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Austin, TX are 2.5% higher than in Indianapolis, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in Indianapolis, IN would need about $102,500 in Austin, TX to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,562 a month in Austin, TX versus $1,267 in Indianapolis, IN. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Austin, TX and 20% in Indianapolis, IN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,921 a year higher in Indianapolis, IN than in Austin, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.8% moving from Austin, TX to Indianapolis, IN ($109,428 → $107,428), while prices change by −2.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.6% in real buying power.
- Austin, TX: price level 98.1 (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
| Austin, TX | Indianapolis, IN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.1 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,583 in Indianapolis | $102,477 in Austin |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,562/mo | $1,267/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $2,921 (IN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $56,950 | $49,340 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX | Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN |
Rent areas: Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX MSA and Indianapolis-Carmel, IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX and Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Austin | Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 120.4 | 88.9 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 94.3 |
| Utilities | 82.0 | 86.4 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 99.1 |
| Overall | 98.1 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Austin, TX → Indianapolis, IN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.5%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$2,921/yr.
76 Strong offer
Indianapolis, IN → Austin, TX
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.4%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$2,921/yr.
61 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Austin, TX is in the Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX pay area; Indianapolis, IN is in Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN. The last column shows what a transfer from Austin, TX to Indianapolis, IN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Austin, TX | Indianapolis, IN | Real change, Austin → Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,457 | $62,297 | +0.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,777 | $75,374 | +0.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,023 | $90,341 | +0.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,428 | $107,428 | +0.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $129,311 | $126,947 | +0.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Austin, TX | Indianapolis, IN | Indianapolis pay in Austin dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,270 | $60,510 | $62,009 (+1.2%) |
| Software Developers | $134,120 | $106,870 | $109,517 (−18.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,120 | $79,290 | $81,254 (−2.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,890 | $84,230 | $86,316 (−11.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.