City comparison
Dallas, TX vs Indianapolis, IN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Dallas, TX are 7.7% higher than in Indianapolis, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in Indianapolis, IN would need about $107,700 in Dallas, TX to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,648 a month in Dallas, TX versus $1,267 in Indianapolis, IN. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Dallas, TX and 20% in Indianapolis, IN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,921 a year higher in Indianapolis, IN than in Dallas, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −7.2% moving from Dallas, TX to Indianapolis, IN ($115,711 → $107,428), while prices change by −7.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.0% in real buying power.
- Dallas, TX: price level 103.1 (pricier)
- 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
| Dallas, TX | Indianapolis, IN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.1 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,828 in Indianapolis | $107,727 in Dallas |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,648/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 | 25% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,440 | $49,340 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Dallas-Fort Worth, TX-OK | Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN |
Rent areas: Dallas, TX HUD Metro FMR Area and Indianapolis-Carmel, IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX and Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Dallas | Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 117.9 | 88.9 |
| Goods | 102.8 | 94.3 |
| Utilities | 90.7 | 86.4 |
| Other services | 99.7 | 99.1 |
| Overall | 103.1 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Dallas, TX → Indianapolis, IN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.7%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$2,921/yr.
93 Strong offer
Indianapolis, IN → Dallas, TX
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.2%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$2,921/yr.
46 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Dallas, TX is in the Dallas-Fort Worth, TX-OK pay area; Indianapolis, IN is in Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN. The last column shows what a transfer from Dallas, TX to Indianapolis, IN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Dallas, TX | Indianapolis, IN | Real change, Dallas → Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $67,100 | $62,297 | +0.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $81,186 | $75,374 | +0.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $97,307 | $90,341 | +0.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $115,711 | $107,428 | +0.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $136,736 | $126,947 | +0.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Dallas, TX | Indianapolis, IN | Indianapolis pay in Dallas dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $65,070 | $60,510 | $65,185 (+0.2%) |
| Software Developers | $133,290 | $106,870 | $115,127 (−13.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,620 | $79,290 | $85,416 (+3.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,420 | $84,230 | $90,738 (−10.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.