City comparison
Indianapolis, IN vs Kiryas Joel, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Kiryas Joel, NY are 14.3% higher than in Indianapolis, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in Indianapolis, IN would need about $114,300 in Kiryas Joel, NY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,549 a month in Kiryas Joel, NY versus $1,267 in Indianapolis, IN. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Kiryas Joel, NY and 20% in Indianapolis, IN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,939 a year higher in Kiryas Joel, NY than in Indianapolis, IN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +16.8% moving from Indianapolis, IN to Kiryas Joel, NY ($107,428 → $125,431), while prices change by +14.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.1% in real buying power.
- Indianapolis, IN: price level 95.7 (cheaper)
- Kiryas Joel, NY: price level 109.4 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Indianapolis, IN | Kiryas Joel, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.7 | 109.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $114,343 in Kiryas Joel | $87,456 in Indianapolis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,267/mo | $1,549/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,260 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,921 (IN) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,340 | $50,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Indianapolis-Carmel, IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY MSA. Metro areas: Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN and Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Indianapolis | Kiryas Joel |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 88.9 | 115.8 |
| Goods | 94.3 | 110.3 |
| Utilities | 86.4 | 136.8 |
| Other services | 99.1 | 106.5 |
| Overall | 95.7 | 109.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Indianapolis, IN → Kiryas Joel, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.5%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$1,939/yr.
37 Weak offer
Kiryas Joel, NY → Indianapolis, IN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +14.3%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$1,939/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Indianapolis, IN is in the Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN pay area; Kiryas Joel, NY is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Indianapolis, IN to Kiryas Joel, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Indianapolis, IN | Kiryas Joel, NY | Real change, Indianapolis → Kiryas Joel |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,297 | $72,737 | +2.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,374 | $88,005 | +2.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,341 | $105,481 | +2.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,428 | $125,431 | +2.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,947 | $148,222 | +2.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Indianapolis, IN | Kiryas Joel, NY | Kiryas Joel pay in Indianapolis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,510 | $81,770 | $71,513 (+18.2%) |
| Software Developers | $106,870 | $145,830 | $127,537 (+19.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,290 | $88,900 | $77,748 (−1.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,230 | $102,890 | $89,983 (+6.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.