City comparison
Gainesville, FL vs Indianapolis, IN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Gainesville, FL are 1.1% higher than in Indianapolis, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in Indianapolis, IN would need about $101,100 in Gainesville, FL to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,246 a month in Gainesville, FL and $1,267 in Indianapolis, IN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,921 a year higher in Indianapolis, IN than in Gainesville, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.9% moving from Gainesville, FL to Indianapolis, IN ($106,437 → $107,428), while prices change by −1.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.0% in real buying power.
- Gainesville, FL: price level 96.7 (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
| Gainesville, FL | Indianapolis, IN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.7 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,928 in Indianapolis | $101,084 in Gainesville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,246/mo | $1,267/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $2,921 (IN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,020 | $49,340 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN |
Rent areas: Gainesville, FL HUD Metro FMR Area and Indianapolis-Carmel, IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Gainesville, FL and Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Gainesville | Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.0 | 88.9 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 94.3 |
| Utilities | 88.2 | 86.4 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 99.1 |
| Overall | 96.7 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Gainesville, FL → Indianapolis, IN
Roughly even
Buying power +1.1%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$2,921/yr.
72 Strong offer
Indianapolis, IN → Gainesville, FL
Roughly even
Buying power −1.1%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$2,921/yr.
65 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Gainesville, FL is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Indianapolis, IN is in Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN. The last column shows what a transfer from Gainesville, FL to Indianapolis, IN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Gainesville, FL | Indianapolis, IN | Real change, Gainesville → Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,297 | +2.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,374 | +2.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,341 | +2.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $107,428 | +2.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $126,947 | +2.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Gainesville, FL | Indianapolis, IN | Indianapolis pay in Gainesville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $56,430 | $60,510 | $61,166 (+8.4%) |
| Software Developers | $122,950 | $106,870 | $108,028 (−12.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,820 | $79,290 | $80,149 (+5.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,870 | $84,230 | $85,143 (+4.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.