City comparison
Huntsville, AL 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 Huntsville, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Huntsville, AL 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 $1,136 in Huntsville, AL. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Indianapolis, IN and 18% in Huntsville, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,815 a year higher in Huntsville, AL than in Indianapolis, IN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.1% moving from Huntsville, AL to Indianapolis, IN ($110,847 → $107,428), while prices change by +2.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.7% in real buying power.
- Huntsville, AL: 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
| Huntsville, AL | Indianapolis, IN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.1 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,819 in Indianapolis | $97,258 in Huntsville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,136/mo | $1,267/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,445 | $76,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,735 (AL) | $2,921 (IN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,740 | $49,340 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN | Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN |
Rent areas: Huntsville, AL MSA and Indianapolis-Carmel, IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Huntsville, AL and Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Huntsville | Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 77.9 | 88.9 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 94.3 |
| Utilities | 83.9 | 86.4 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 99.1 |
| Overall | 93.1 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Huntsville, AL → Indianapolis, IN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.7%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$1,815/yr.
60 Fair offer
Indianapolis, IN → Huntsville, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.8%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,815/yr.
78 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Huntsville, AL is in the Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN pay area; Indianapolis, IN is in Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN. The last column shows what a transfer from Huntsville, AL to Indianapolis, IN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Huntsville, AL | Indianapolis, IN | Real change, Huntsville → Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,279 | $62,297 | −5.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,772 | $75,374 | −5.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,216 | $90,341 | −5.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,847 | $107,428 | −5.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,987 | $126,947 | −5.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Huntsville, AL | Indianapolis, IN | Indianapolis pay in Huntsville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,250 | $60,510 | $58,851 (−5.5%) |
| Software Developers | $128,080 | $106,870 | $103,940 (−18.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,220 | $79,290 | $77,116 (−2.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,090 | $84,230 | $81,920 (+6.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.