City comparison
Greenville, SC vs Indianapolis, IN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Indianapolis, IN are 2.6% higher than in Greenville, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Greenville, SC would need about $102,600 in Indianapolis, IN to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,221 a month in Greenville, SC and $1,267 in Indianapolis, IN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,922 a year higher in Greenville, SC than in Indianapolis, IN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.9% moving from Greenville, SC to Indianapolis, IN ($106,437 → $107,428), while prices change by +2.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.6% in real buying power.
- Greenville, SC: price level 93.3 (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
| Greenville, SC | Indianapolis, IN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.3 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,612 in Indianapolis | $97,454 in Greenville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,221/mo | $1,267/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $76,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $2,921 (IN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,580 | $49,340 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN |
Rent areas: Greenville-Mauldin-Easley, SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Indianapolis-Carmel, IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC and Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Greenville | Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.8 | 88.9 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 94.3 |
| Utilities | 88.8 | 86.4 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 99.1 |
| Overall | 93.3 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Greenville, SC → Indianapolis, IN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.5%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$1,922/yr.
61 Fair offer
Indianapolis, IN → Greenville, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.6%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$1,922/yr.
77 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Greenville, SC 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 Greenville, SC to Indianapolis, IN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Greenville, SC | Indianapolis, IN | Real change, Greenville → Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,297 | −1.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,374 | −1.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,341 | −1.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $107,428 | −1.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $126,947 | −1.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Greenville, SC | Indianapolis, IN | Indianapolis pay in Greenville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,680 | $60,510 | $58,970 (−2.8%) |
| Software Developers | $121,790 | $106,870 | $104,150 (−14.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,870 | $79,290 | $77,272 (+0.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,400 | $84,230 | $82,086 (+0.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.