City comparison
Indianapolis, IN vs Seattle, WA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Seattle, WA are 16.1% higher than in Indianapolis, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in Indianapolis, IN would need about $116,100 in Seattle, WA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,146 a month in Seattle, WA versus $1,267 in Indianapolis, IN. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Seattle, WA and 20% in Indianapolis, IN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,921 a year higher in Indianapolis, IN than in Seattle, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +11.4% moving from Indianapolis, IN to Seattle, WA ($107,428 → $119,630), while prices change by +16.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.1% in real buying power.
- Indianapolis, IN: price level 95.7 (cheaper)
- Seattle, WA: price level 111.1 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Indianapolis, IN | Seattle, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.7 | 111.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $116,131 in Seattle | $86,109 in Indianapolis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,267/mo | $2,146/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,260 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,921 (IN) | $0 (WA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 33% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,340 | $72,610 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN | Seattle-Tacoma, WA |
Rent areas: Indianapolis-Carmel, IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Seattle-Bellevue, WA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN and Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Indianapolis | Seattle |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 88.9 | 151.3 |
| Goods | 94.3 | 104.0 |
| Utilities | 86.4 | 92.8 |
| Other services | 99.1 | 106.8 |
| Overall | 95.7 | 111.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Indianapolis, IN → Seattle, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −13.9%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax −$2,921/yr.
26 Weak offer
Seattle, WA → Indianapolis, IN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +16.1%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$2,921/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Indianapolis, IN is in the Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN pay area; Seattle, WA is in Seattle-Tacoma, WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Indianapolis, IN to Seattle, WA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Indianapolis, IN | Seattle, WA | Real change, Indianapolis → Seattle |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,297 | $69,373 | −4.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,374 | $83,935 | −4.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,341 | $100,602 | −4.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,428 | $119,630 | −4.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,947 | $141,367 | −4.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Indianapolis, IN | Seattle, WA | Seattle pay in Indianapolis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,510 | $102,920 | $88,624 (+46.5%) |
| Software Developers | $106,870 | $167,280 | $144,044 (+34.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,290 | $99,370 | $85,567 (+7.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,230 | $128,260 | $110,444 (+31.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.