City comparison
Houston, TX vs Indianapolis, IN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Houston, TX are 3.1% higher than in Indianapolis, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in Indianapolis, IN would need about $103,100 in Houston, TX to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,323 a month in Houston, TX 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 Houston, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −12.5% moving from Houston, TX to Indianapolis, IN ($122,749 → $107,428), while prices change by −3.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −9.8% in real buying power.
- Houston, TX: price level 98.6 (about average)
- 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
| Houston, TX | Indianapolis, IN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.6 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,026 in Indianapolis | $103,065 in Houston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,323/mo | $1,267/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $2,921 (IN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,410 | $49,340 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Houston-The Woodlands, TX | Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN |
Rent areas: Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX HUD Metro FMR Area and Indianapolis-Carmel, IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX and Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Houston | Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 104.5 | 88.9 |
| Goods | 100.6 | 94.3 |
| Utilities | 95.3 | 86.4 |
| Other services | 95.6 | 99.1 |
| Overall | 98.6 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Houston, TX → Indianapolis, IN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.1%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$2,921/yr.
78 Strong offer
Indianapolis, IN → Houston, TX
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.0%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$2,921/yr.
59 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Houston, TX is in the Houston-The Woodlands, TX pay area; Indianapolis, IN is in Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN. The last column shows what a transfer from Houston, TX to Indianapolis, IN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Houston, TX | Indianapolis, IN | Real change, Houston → Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $71,181 | $62,297 | −9.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $86,123 | $75,374 | −9.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $103,225 | $90,341 | −9.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $122,749 | $107,428 | −9.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $145,052 | $126,947 | −9.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Houston, TX | Indianapolis, IN | Indianapolis pay in Houston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,500 | $60,510 | $62,365 (−3.3%) |
| Software Developers | $129,440 | $106,870 | $110,145 (−14.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,090 | $79,290 | $81,720 (−4.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,830 | $84,230 | $86,812 (−13.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.