City comparison
Boise City, ID vs Indianapolis, IN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boise City, ID are 2.8% higher than in Indianapolis, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in Indianapolis, IN would need about $102,800 in Boise City, ID to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,381 a month in Boise City, ID versus $1,267 in Indianapolis, IN. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Boise City, ID and 20% in Indianapolis, IN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,271 a year higher in Boise City, ID than in Indianapolis, IN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.9% moving from Boise City, ID to Indianapolis, IN ($106,437 → $107,428), while prices change by −2.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.8% in real buying power.
- Boise City, ID: price level 98.4 (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
| Boise City, ID | Indianapolis, IN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.4 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,261 in Indianapolis | $102,816 in Boise City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,381/mo | $1,267/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,988 | $76,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,192 (ID) | $2,921 (IN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,100 | $49,340 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN |
Rent areas: Boise City, ID HUD Metro FMR Area and Indianapolis-Carmel, IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Boise City, ID and Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boise City | Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.6 | 88.9 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 94.3 |
| Utilities | 70.7 | 86.4 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 99.1 |
| Overall | 98.4 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boise City, ID → Indianapolis, IN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.8%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$1,271/yr.
78 Strong offer
Indianapolis, IN → Boise City, ID
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.7%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$1,271/yr.
60 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boise City, ID is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Indianapolis, IN is in Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN. The last column shows what a transfer from Boise City, ID to Indianapolis, IN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boise City, ID | Indianapolis, IN | Real change, Boise City → Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,297 | +3.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,374 | +3.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,341 | +3.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $107,428 | +3.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $126,947 | +3.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boise City, ID | Indianapolis, IN | Indianapolis pay in Boise City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,230 | $60,510 | $62,214 (+1.6%) |
| Software Developers | $131,590 | $106,870 | $109,880 (−16.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,700 | $79,290 | $81,523 (+6.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,880 | $84,230 | $86,602 (−11.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.