City comparison
Indianapolis, IN vs Palm Bay, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Palm Bay, FL are 4.5% higher than in Indianapolis, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in Indianapolis, IN would need about $104,500 in Palm Bay, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,478 a month in Palm Bay, FL versus $1,267 in Indianapolis, IN. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Palm Bay, FL and 20% in Indianapolis, IN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,921 a year higher in Indianapolis, IN than in Palm Bay, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.2% moving from Indianapolis, IN to Palm Bay, FL ($107,428 → $107,228), while prices change by +4.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.5% in real buying power.
- Indianapolis, IN: price level 95.7 (cheaper)
- Palm Bay, FL: price level 100.0 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Indianapolis, IN | Palm Bay, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.7 | 100.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,503 in Palm Bay | $95,691 in Indianapolis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,267/mo | $1,478/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,260 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,921 (IN) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,340 | $49,030 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL |
Rent areas: Indianapolis-Carmel, IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL MSA. Metro areas: Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN and Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Indianapolis | Palm Bay |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 88.9 | 111.7 |
| Goods | 94.3 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 86.4 | 88.1 |
| Other services | 99.1 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 95.7 | 100.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Indianapolis, IN → Palm Bay, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.3%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$2,921/yr.
55 Fair offer
Palm Bay, FL → Indianapolis, IN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.5%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$2,921/yr.
83 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Indianapolis, IN is in the Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN pay area; Palm Bay, FL is in Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL. The last column shows what a transfer from Indianapolis, IN to Palm Bay, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Indianapolis, IN | Palm Bay, FL | Real change, Indianapolis → Palm Bay |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,297 | $62,181 | −4.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,374 | $75,233 | −4.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,341 | $90,173 | −4.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,428 | $107,228 | −4.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,947 | $126,711 | −4.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Indianapolis, IN | Palm Bay, FL | Palm Bay pay in Indianapolis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,510 | $62,510 | $59,817 (−1.1%) |
| Software Developers | $106,870 | $131,760 | $126,083 (+18.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,290 | $75,860 | $72,591 (−8.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,230 | $80,900 | $77,414 (−8.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.