City comparison
Indianapolis, IN vs New York, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in New York, NY are 17.6% higher than in Indianapolis, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in Indianapolis, IN would need about $117,600 in New York, NY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,655 a month in New York, NY versus $1,267 in Indianapolis, IN. On $100,000, that's 43% of take-home pay in New York, NY and 20% in Indianapolis, IN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,939 a year higher in New York, 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 New York, NY ($107,428 → $125,431), while prices change by +17.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.7% in real buying power.
- Indianapolis, IN: price level 95.7 (cheaper)
- New York, NY: price level 112.6 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Indianapolis, IN | New York, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.7 | 112.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $117,626 in New York | $85,016 in Indianapolis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,267/mo | $2,655/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% | 43% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,340 | $61,430 |
| 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 New York, NY HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN and New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Indianapolis | New York |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 88.9 | 148.6 |
| Goods | 94.3 | 110.3 |
| Utilities | 86.4 | 127.0 |
| Other services | 99.1 | 105.8 |
| Overall | 95.7 | 112.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Indianapolis, IN → New York, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −15.0%; rent takes 43% of take-home; state tax +$1,939/yr.
11 Weak offer
New York, NY → Indianapolis, IN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +17.6%; 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; New York, NY is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Indianapolis, IN to New York, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Indianapolis, IN | New York, NY | Real change, Indianapolis → New York |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,297 | $72,737 | −0.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,374 | $88,005 | −0.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,341 | $105,481 | −0.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,428 | $125,431 | −0.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,947 | $148,222 | −0.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Indianapolis, IN | New York, NY | New York pay in Indianapolis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,510 | $96,900 | $82,380 (+36.1%) |
| Software Developers | $106,870 | $166,830 | $141,831 (+32.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,290 | $105,650 | $89,819 (+13.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,230 | $119,720 | $101,781 (+20.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.