City comparison
Green Bay, WI vs Indianapolis, IN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Indianapolis, IN are 2.8% higher than in Green Bay, WI. Someone earning $100,000 in Green Bay, WI would need about $102,800 in Indianapolis, IN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,267 a month in Indianapolis, IN versus $931 in Green Bay, WI. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Indianapolis, IN and 15% in Green Bay, WI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $999 a year higher in Green Bay, WI than in Indianapolis, IN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.9% moving from Green Bay, WI to Indianapolis, IN ($106,437 → $107,428), while prices change by +2.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.8% in real buying power.
- Green Bay, WI: price level 93.1 (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
| Green Bay, WI | Indianapolis, IN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.1 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,804 in Indianapolis | $97,273 in Green Bay |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $931/mo | $1,267/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,261 | $76,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,919 (WI) | $2,921 (IN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,940 | $49,340 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN |
Rent areas: Green Bay, WI HUD Metro FMR Area and Indianapolis-Carmel, IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Green Bay, WI and Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Green Bay | Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 74.7 | 88.9 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 94.3 |
| Utilities | 90.0 | 86.4 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 99.1 |
| Overall | 93.1 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Green Bay, WI → Indianapolis, IN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.7%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$999/yr.
60 Fair offer
Indianapolis, IN → Green Bay, WI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.8%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$999/yr.
78 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Green Bay, WI 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 Green Bay, WI to Indianapolis, IN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Green Bay, WI | Indianapolis, IN | Real change, Green Bay → Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,297 | −1.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,374 | −1.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,341 | −1.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $107,428 | −1.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $126,947 | −1.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Green Bay, WI | Indianapolis, IN | Indianapolis pay in Green Bay dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,600 | $60,510 | $58,860 (−2.9%) |
| Software Developers | $103,160 | $106,870 | $103,955 (+0.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,720 | $79,290 | $77,127 (−0.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,700 | $84,230 | $81,933 (−3.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.