City comparison
Indianapolis, IN vs Tucson, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Tucson, AZ are 1.3% higher than in Indianapolis, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in Indianapolis, IN would need about $101,300 in Tucson, AZ to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,267 a month in Indianapolis, IN versus $1,081 in Tucson, AZ. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Indianapolis, IN and 17% in Tucson, AZ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $629 a year higher in Indianapolis, IN than in Tucson, AZ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.0% moving from Indianapolis, IN to Tucson, AZ ($107,428 → $108,455), while prices change by +1.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.3% in real buying power.
- Indianapolis, IN: price level 95.7 (cheaper)
- Tucson, AZ: price level 96.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Indianapolis, IN | Tucson, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.7 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,254 in Tucson | $98,762 in Indianapolis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,267/mo | $1,081/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,260 | $76,889 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,921 (IN) | $2,291 (AZ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,340 | $47,760 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN | Tucson-Nogales, AZ |
Rent areas: Indianapolis-Carmel, IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Tucson, AZ MSA. Metro areas: Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN and Tucson, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Indianapolis | Tucson |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 88.9 | 91.8 |
| Goods | 94.3 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 86.4 | 89.5 |
| Other services | 99.1 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 95.7 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Indianapolis, IN → Tucson, AZ
Roughly even
Buying power −1.2%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$629/yr.
65 Fair offer
Tucson, AZ → Indianapolis, IN
Roughly even
Buying power +1.3%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$629/yr.
73 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Indianapolis, IN is in the Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN pay area; Tucson, AZ is in Tucson-Nogales, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Indianapolis, IN to Tucson, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Indianapolis, IN | Tucson, AZ | Real change, Indianapolis → Tucson |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,297 | $62,893 | −0.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,374 | $76,095 | −0.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,341 | $91,205 | −0.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,428 | $108,455 | −0.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,947 | $128,162 | −0.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Indianapolis, IN | Tucson, AZ | Tucson pay in Indianapolis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,510 | $47,220 | $46,635 (−22.9%) |
| Software Developers | $106,870 | $123,710 | $122,178 (+14.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,290 | $76,320 | $75,375 (−4.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,230 | $94,110 | $92,945 (+10.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.