City comparison
Detroit, MI vs Indianapolis, IN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Detroit, MI are 4.8% higher than in Indianapolis, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in Indianapolis, IN would need about $104,800 in Detroit, MI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,267 a month in Indianapolis, IN versus $1,122 in Detroit, MI. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Indianapolis, IN and 18% in Detroit, MI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,079 a year higher in Detroit, MI than in Indianapolis, IN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −8.5% moving from Detroit, MI to Indianapolis, IN ($117,402 → $107,428), while prices change by −4.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.1% in real buying power.
- Detroit, MI: price level 100.3 (about average)
- 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
| Detroit, MI | Indianapolis, IN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.3 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,412 in Indianapolis | $104,809 in Detroit |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,122/mo | $1,267/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $76,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $2,921 (IN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $52,080 | $49,340 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN |
Rent areas: Detroit-Warren-Livonia, MI HUD Metro FMR Area and Indianapolis-Carmel, IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI and Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Detroit | Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 94.7 | 88.9 |
| Goods | 98.8 | 94.3 |
| Utilities | 107.0 | 86.4 |
| Other services | 102.6 | 99.1 |
| Overall | 100.3 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Detroit, MI → Indianapolis, IN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.8%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$1,079/yr.
84 Strong offer
Indianapolis, IN → Detroit, MI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.6%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,079/yr.
54 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Detroit, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Indianapolis, IN is in Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN. The last column shows what a transfer from Detroit, MI to Indianapolis, IN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Detroit, MI | Indianapolis, IN | Real change, Detroit → Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $62,297 | −4.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $75,374 | −4.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $90,341 | −4.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $107,428 | −4.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $126,947 | −4.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Detroit, MI | Indianapolis, IN | Indianapolis pay in Detroit dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $65,210 | $60,510 | $63,420 (−2.7%) |
| Software Developers | $130,760 | $106,870 | $112,009 (−14.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,650 | $79,290 | $83,103 (+3.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,280 | $84,230 | $88,281 (−9.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.