City comparison
Cincinnati, OH vs Indianapolis, IN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Cincinnati, OH (95.4) and Indianapolis, IN (95.7, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Cincinnati, OH goes as far as $100,300 in Indianapolis, IN.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,267 a month in Indianapolis, IN versus $1,051 in Cincinnati, OH. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Indianapolis, IN and 16% in Cincinnati, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $953 a year higher in Indianapolis, IN than in Cincinnati, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.1% moving from Cincinnati, OH to Indianapolis, IN ($110,865 → $107,428), while prices change by +0.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.4% in real buying power.
- Cincinnati, OH: price level 95.4 (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
| Cincinnati, OH | Indianapolis, IN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.4 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,342 in Indianapolis | $99,659 in Cincinnati |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,051/mo | $1,267/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $76,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $2,921 (IN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,170 | $49,340 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN | Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN |
Rent areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Indianapolis-Carmel, IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN and Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cincinnati | Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.6 | 88.9 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 94.3 |
| Utilities | 91.0 | 86.4 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 99.1 |
| Overall | 95.4 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cincinnati, OH → Indianapolis, IN
Roughly even
Buying power −0.3%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$953/yr.
68 Fair offer
Indianapolis, IN → Cincinnati, OH
Roughly even
Buying power +0.3%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$953/yr.
70 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cincinnati, OH is in the Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN pay area; Indianapolis, IN is in Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN. The last column shows what a transfer from Cincinnati, OH to Indianapolis, IN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cincinnati, OH | Indianapolis, IN | Real change, Cincinnati → Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,290 | $62,297 | −3.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,785 | $75,374 | −3.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,231 | $90,341 | −3.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,865 | $107,428 | −3.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,009 | $126,947 | −3.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cincinnati, OH | Indianapolis, IN | Indianapolis pay in Cincinnati dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,740 | $60,510 | $60,304 (−6.9%) |
| Software Developers | $121,420 | $106,870 | $106,506 (−12.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,640 | $79,290 | $79,020 (−2.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,650 | $84,230 | $83,943 (+0.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.