City comparison
Columbus, OH vs Indianapolis, IN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Columbus, OH (95.5) and Indianapolis, IN (95.7, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Columbus, OH goes as far as $100,200 in Indianapolis, IN.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,267 a month in Indianapolis, IN versus $1,194 in Columbus, OH. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Indianapolis, IN and 19% in Columbus, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $953 a year higher in Indianapolis, IN than in Columbus, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.3% moving from Columbus, OH to Indianapolis, IN ($111,065 → $107,428), while prices change by +0.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.5% in real buying power.
- Columbus, OH: price level 95.5 (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
| Columbus, OH | Indianapolis, IN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,238 in Indianapolis | $99,763 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,194/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 | 19% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,340 | $49,340 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH | Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN |
Rent areas: Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Indianapolis-Carmel, IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbus, OH and Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.9 | 88.9 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 94.3 |
| Utilities | 95.5 | 86.4 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 99.1 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, OH → Indianapolis, IN
Roughly even
Buying power −0.2%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$953/yr.
68 Fair offer
Indianapolis, IN → Columbus, OH
Roughly even
Buying power +0.2%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$953/yr.
69 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, OH is in the Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH pay area; Indianapolis, IN is in Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, OH to Indianapolis, IN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, OH | Indianapolis, IN | Real change, Columbus → Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,406 | $62,297 | −3.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,926 | $75,374 | −3.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,400 | $90,341 | −3.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,065 | $107,428 | −3.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,245 | $126,947 | −3.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, OH | Indianapolis, IN | Indianapolis pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,150 | $60,510 | $60,366 (−22.8%) |
| Software Developers | $122,340 | $106,870 | $106,616 (−12.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,700 | $79,290 | $79,102 (−3.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,900 | $84,230 | $84,030 (+0.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.