City comparison
Indianapolis, IN vs Sacramento, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Sacramento, CA are 11.5% higher than in Indianapolis, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in Indianapolis, IN would need about $111,500 in Sacramento, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,832 a month in Sacramento, CA versus $1,267 in Indianapolis, IN. On $100,000, that's 30% of take-home pay in Sacramento, CA and 20% in Indianapolis, IN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,150 a year higher in Sacramento, CA than in Indianapolis, IN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +9.8% moving from Indianapolis, IN to Sacramento, CA ($107,428 → $117,984), while prices change by +11.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.5% in real buying power.
- Indianapolis, IN: price level 95.7 (cheaper)
- Sacramento, CA: price level 106.7 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Indianapolis, IN | Sacramento, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.7 | 106.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $111,468 in Sacramento | $89,712 in Indianapolis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,267/mo | $1,832/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,260 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,921 (IN) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 30% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,340 | $59,750 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN | Sacramento-Roseville, CA-NV |
Rent areas: Indianapolis-Carmel, IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN and Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Indianapolis | Sacramento |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 88.9 | 130.2 |
| Goods | 94.3 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 86.4 | 151.3 |
| Other services | 99.1 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 95.7 | 106.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Indianapolis, IN → Sacramento, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.3%; rent takes 30% of take-home; state tax +$2,150/yr.
31 Weak offer
Sacramento, CA → Indianapolis, IN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.5%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$2,150/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Indianapolis, IN is in the Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN pay area; Sacramento, CA is in Sacramento-Roseville, CA-NV. The last column shows what a transfer from Indianapolis, IN to Sacramento, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Indianapolis, IN | Sacramento, CA | Real change, Indianapolis → Sacramento |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,297 | $68,419 | −1.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,374 | $82,780 | −1.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,341 | $99,218 | −1.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,428 | $117,984 | −1.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,947 | $139,422 | −1.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Indianapolis, IN | Sacramento, CA | Sacramento pay in Indianapolis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,510 | $103,390 | $92,753 (+53.3%) |
| Software Developers | $106,870 | $139,640 | $125,274 (+17.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,290 | $92,110 | $82,634 (+4.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,230 | $171,460 | $153,821 (+82.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.