City comparison
Indianapolis, IN vs McAllen, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Indianapolis, IN are 11.4% higher than in McAllen, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in McAllen, TX would need about $111,400 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 $847 in McAllen, TX. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Indianapolis, IN and 13% in McAllen, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,921 a year higher in Indianapolis, IN than in McAllen, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.9% moving from Indianapolis, IN to McAllen, TX ($107,428 → $106,437), while prices change by −10.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +10.4% in real buying power.
- Indianapolis, IN: price level 95.7 (cheaper)
- McAllen, TX: price level 85.9 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Indianapolis, IN | McAllen, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.7 | 85.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $89,758 in McAllen | $111,410 in Indianapolis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,267/mo | $847/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,260 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,921 (IN) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 13% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,340 | $35,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Indianapolis-Carmel, IN HUD Metro FMR Area and McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX MSA. Metro areas: Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN and McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Indianapolis | McAllen |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 88.9 | 55.9 |
| Goods | 94.3 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 86.4 | 81.2 |
| Other services | 99.1 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 95.7 | 85.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Indianapolis, IN → McAllen, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.4%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax −$2,921/yr.
100 Strong offer
McAllen, TX → Indianapolis, IN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.2%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$2,921/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Indianapolis, IN is in the Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN pay area; McAllen, TX is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Indianapolis, IN to McAllen, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Indianapolis, IN | McAllen, TX | Real change, Indianapolis → McAllen |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,297 | $61,722 | +10.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,374 | $74,678 | +10.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,341 | $89,508 | +10.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,428 | $106,437 | +10.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,947 | $125,776 | +10.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Indianapolis, IN | McAllen, TX | McAllen pay in Indianapolis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,510 | $63,110 | $70,311 (+16.2%) |
| Software Developers | $106,870 | $116,120 | $129,370 (+21.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,290 | $64,470 | $71,826 (−9.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,230 | $80,540 | $89,730 (+6.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.