City comparison
Brownsville, TX vs Indianapolis, IN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Indianapolis, IN are 11.3% higher than in Brownsville, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Brownsville, TX would need about $111,300 in Indianapolis, IN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,267 a month in Indianapolis, IN versus $866 in Brownsville, TX. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Indianapolis, IN and 13% in Brownsville, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,921 a year higher in Indianapolis, IN than in Brownsville, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.9% moving from Brownsville, TX to Indianapolis, IN ($106,437 → $107,428), while prices change by +11.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −9.3% in real buying power.
- Brownsville, TX: price level 86.0 (much cheaper)
- 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
| Brownsville, TX | Indianapolis, IN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 86.0 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $111,307 in Indianapolis | $89,842 in Brownsville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $866/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 | 13% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $36,490 | $49,340 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN |
Rent areas: Brownsville-Harlingen, TX MSA and Indianapolis-Carmel, IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Brownsville-Harlingen, TX and Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Brownsville | Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 57.7 | 88.9 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 94.3 |
| Utilities | 81.2 | 86.4 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 99.1 |
| Overall | 86.0 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Brownsville, TX → Indianapolis, IN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.2%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$2,921/yr.
38 Weak offer
Indianapolis, IN → Brownsville, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.3%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax −$2,921/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Brownsville, TX 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 Brownsville, TX to Indianapolis, IN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Brownsville, TX | Indianapolis, IN | Real change, Brownsville → Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,297 | −9.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,374 | −9.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,341 | −9.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $107,428 | −9.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $126,947 | −9.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Brownsville, TX | Indianapolis, IN | Indianapolis pay in Brownsville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,350 | $60,510 | $54,363 (−14.2%) |
| Software Developers | $106,990 | $106,870 | $96,014 (−10.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $66,440 | $79,290 | $71,236 (+7.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,090 | $84,230 | $75,674 (−6.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.