City comparison
Indianapolis, IN vs Rochester, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Rochester, NY are 1.4% higher than in Indianapolis, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in Indianapolis, IN would need about $101,400 in Rochester, NY to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,267 a month in Indianapolis, IN and $1,256 in Rochester, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,939 a year higher in Rochester, NY than in Indianapolis, IN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.2% moving from Indianapolis, IN to Rochester, NY ($107,428 → $107,182), while prices change by +1.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.6% in real buying power.
- Indianapolis, IN: price level 95.7 (cheaper)
- Rochester, NY: price level 97.0 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Indianapolis, IN | Rochester, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.7 | 97.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,399 in Rochester | $98,620 in Indianapolis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,267/mo | $1,256/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% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,340 | $51,210 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN | Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY |
Rent areas: Indianapolis-Carmel, IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Rochester, NY MSA. Metro areas: Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN and Rochester, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Indianapolis | Rochester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 88.9 | 87.5 |
| Goods | 94.3 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 86.4 | 133.2 |
| Other services | 99.1 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 95.7 | 97.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Indianapolis, IN → Rochester, NY
Roughly even
Buying power −1.4%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$1,939/yr.
64 Fair offer
Rochester, NY → Indianapolis, IN
Roughly even
Buying power +1.4%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$1,939/yr.
73 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Indianapolis, IN is in the Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN pay area; Rochester, NY is in Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY. The last column shows what a transfer from Indianapolis, IN to Rochester, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Indianapolis, IN | Rochester, NY | Real change, Indianapolis → Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,297 | $62,155 | −1.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,374 | $75,202 | −1.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,341 | $90,135 | −1.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,428 | $107,182 | −1.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,947 | $126,657 | −1.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Indianapolis, IN | Rochester, NY | Rochester pay in Indianapolis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,510 | $62,840 | $61,973 (+2.4%) |
| Software Developers | $106,870 | $122,770 | $121,076 (+13.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,290 | $80,890 | $79,774 (+0.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,230 | $86,570 | $85,375 (+1.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.