City comparison
Durham, NC vs Indianapolis, IN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Durham, NC are 2.0% higher than in Indianapolis, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in Indianapolis, IN would need about $102,000 in Durham, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,507 a month in Durham, NC versus $1,267 in Indianapolis, IN. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Durham, NC and 20% in Indianapolis, IN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $561 a year higher in Durham, NC than in Indianapolis, IN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.3% moving from Durham, NC to Indianapolis, IN ($111,147 → $107,428), while prices change by −1.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.5% in real buying power.
- Durham, NC: price level 97.6 (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
| Durham, NC | Indianapolis, IN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.6 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,077 in Indianapolis | $101,960 in Durham |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,507/mo | $1,267/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $76,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $2,921 (IN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,720 | $49,340 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN |
Rent areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Indianapolis-Carmel, IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC and Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Durham | Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.9 | 88.9 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 94.3 |
| Utilities | 89.3 | 86.4 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 99.1 |
| Overall | 97.6 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Durham, NC → Indianapolis, IN
Roughly even
Buying power +2.0%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$561/yr.
75 Strong offer
Indianapolis, IN → Durham, NC
Roughly even
Buying power −1.9%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$561/yr.
63 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Durham, NC is in the Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC pay area; Indianapolis, IN is in Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN. The last column shows what a transfer from Durham, NC to Indianapolis, IN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Durham, NC | Indianapolis, IN | Real change, Durham → Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,453 | $62,297 | −1.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,983 | $75,374 | −1.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,468 | $90,341 | −1.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,147 | $107,428 | −1.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,342 | $126,947 | −1.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Durham, NC | Indianapolis, IN | Indianapolis pay in Durham dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $51,400 | $60,510 | $61,696 (+20.0%) |
| Software Developers | $135,620 | $106,870 | $108,965 (−19.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,090 | $79,290 | $80,844 (−5.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | not published | $84,230 | — |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.