City comparison
Cleveland, OH vs Indianapolis, IN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Indianapolis, IN are 1.9% higher than in Cleveland, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Cleveland, OH would need about $101,900 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 $1,058 in Cleveland, OH. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Indianapolis, IN and 16% in Cleveland, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $953 a year higher in Indianapolis, IN than in Cleveland, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.3% moving from Cleveland, OH to Indianapolis, IN ($111,138 → $107,428), while prices change by +1.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.1% in real buying power.
- Cleveland, OH: price level 93.9 (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
| Cleveland, OH | Indianapolis, IN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.9 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,888 in Indianapolis | $98,147 in Cleveland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,058/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 | $50,140 | $49,340 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN |
Rent areas: Cleveland, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Indianapolis-Carmel, IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Cleveland, OH and Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cleveland | Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.4 | 88.9 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 94.3 |
| Utilities | 96.0 | 86.4 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 99.1 |
| Overall | 93.9 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cleveland, OH → Indianapolis, IN
Roughly even
Buying power −1.9%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$953/yr.
63 Fair offer
Indianapolis, IN → Cleveland, OH
Roughly even
Buying power +1.9%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$953/yr.
75 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cleveland, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; Indianapolis, IN is in Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN. The last column shows what a transfer from Cleveland, OH to Indianapolis, IN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cleveland, OH | Indianapolis, IN | Real change, Cleveland → Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $62,297 | −5.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $75,374 | −5.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $90,341 | −5.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $107,428 | −5.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $126,947 | −5.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cleveland, OH | Indianapolis, IN | Indianapolis pay in Cleveland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,470 | $60,510 | $59,389 (−22.3%) |
| Software Developers | $111,310 | $106,870 | $104,890 (−5.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,000 | $79,290 | $77,821 (−2.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,940 | $84,230 | $82,669 (−1.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.