City comparison
Gulfport, MS vs Indianapolis, IN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Indianapolis, IN are 6.3% higher than in Gulfport, MS. Someone earning $100,000 in Gulfport, MS would need about $106,300 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 $923 in Gulfport, MS. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Indianapolis, IN and 15% in Gulfport, MS.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $348 a year higher in Gulfport, MS than in Indianapolis, IN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.9% moving from Gulfport, MS to Indianapolis, IN ($106,437 → $107,428), while prices change by +6.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.1% in real buying power.
- Gulfport, MS: price level 90.0 (much 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
| Gulfport, MS | Indianapolis, IN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.0 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,322 in Indianapolis | $94,054 in Gulfport |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $923/mo | $1,267/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,912 | $76,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,268 (MS) | $2,921 (IN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $43,470 | $49,340 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN |
Rent areas: Gulfport-Biloxi, MS HUD Metro FMR Area and Indianapolis-Carmel, IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Gulfport-Biloxi, MS and Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Gulfport | Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 67.9 | 88.9 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 94.3 |
| Utilities | 76.3 | 86.4 |
| Other services | 96.1 | 99.1 |
| Overall | 90.0 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Gulfport, MS → Indianapolis, IN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.9%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$348/yr.
50 Fair offer
Indianapolis, IN → Gulfport, MS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.3%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$348/yr.
89 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Gulfport, MS 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 Gulfport, MS to Indianapolis, IN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Gulfport, MS | Indianapolis, IN | Real change, Gulfport → Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,297 | −5.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,374 | −5.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,341 | −5.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $107,428 | −5.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $126,947 | −5.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Gulfport, MS | Indianapolis, IN | Indianapolis pay in Gulfport dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,820 | $60,510 | $56,912 (+12.0%) |
| Software Developers | $104,240 | $106,870 | $100,516 (−3.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,380 | $79,290 | $74,575 (−2.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $78,960 | $84,230 | $79,222 (+0.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.