City comparison

Kiryas Joel, NY vs South Bend, IN

What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.

Key findings

  • Prices in Kiryas Joel, NY are 17.8% higher than in South Bend, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in South Bend, IN would need about $117,800 in Kiryas Joel, NY to live the same way.
  • Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,549 a month in Kiryas Joel, NY versus $1,105 in South Bend, IN. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Kiryas Joel, NY and 17% in South Bend, IN.
  • On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,939 a year higher in Kiryas Joel, NY than in South Bend, IN.
  • For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −15.1% moving from Kiryas Joel, NY to South Bend, IN ($125,431 → $106,437), while prices change by −15.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.0% in real buying power.
Kiryas JoelSouth Bend
Price level (U.S. = 100):Under 9292–9898–102102–108Over 108
  • Kiryas Joel, NY: price level 109.4 (much pricier)
  • South Bend, IN: price level 92.9 (cheaper)

Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.

Side by side

Kiryas Joel, NYSouth Bend, IN
Price level (U.S. = 100)2109.492.9
$100,000 is worth, in the other city2$84,862 in South Bend$117,838 in Kiryas Joel
Typical 1-bedroom rent3$1,549/mo$1,105/mo
Take-home on $100,00014,15,8$74,320$76,260
State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8$4,860 (NY)$2,921 (IN)
Rent burden on $100,00025%17%
Median pay, all jobs4$50,990$46,540
Federal locality pay area7New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PARest of U.S.

Rent areas: Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY MSA and South Bend-Mishawaka, IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY and South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI.

What costs more or less

Kiryas Joel, NYSouth Bend, IN
Price level (U.S. = 100)Kiryas JoelSouth Bend
Housing (rent)115.874.6
Goods110.394.2
Utilities136.887.7
Other services106.599.2
Overall109.492.9
BEA Regional Price Parities2. Housing covers rents.

Moving with the same $100,000 salary

Kiryas Joel, NY → South Bend, IN

Same pay goes further

Buying power +17.8%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,939/yr.

100 Strong offer

South Bend, IN → Kiryas Joel, NY

Same pay buys less

Buying power −15.1%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$1,939/yr.

37 Weak offer

On the GS pay scale?

Kiryas Joel, NY is in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA pay area; South Bend, IN is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Kiryas Joel, NY to South Bend, IN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.

Grade5,2Kiryas Joel, NYSouth Bend, INReal change, Kiryas Joel → South Bend
GS-9 step 1$72,737$61,722−0.0%
GS-11 step 1$88,005$74,678−0.0%
GS-12 step 1$105,481$89,508−0.0%
GS-13 step 1$125,431$106,437−0.0%
GS-14 step 1$148,222$125,776−0.0%

Pay for common jobs

Median annual pay4Kiryas Joel, NYSouth Bend, INSouth Bend pay in Kiryas Joel dollars
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$81,770$58,180$68,558 (−16.2%)
Software Developers$145,830$95,500$112,535 (−22.8%)
Accountants and Auditors$88,900$77,940$91,843 (+3.3%)
Registered Nurses$102,890$93,540$110,226 (+7.1%)

"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.

Check your own offer

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Taxes are estimates for a single filer taking the standard deduction; city and county income taxes are not included. See the methodology.

Notes & Sources

  1. U.S. Census Bureau, Metropolitan Statistical Area population estimates (Vintage 2025) (2025). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  2. U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by MSA (MARPP), all items (2024). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  3. U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Market Rents, 1-bedroom (2026). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  4. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025, metropolitan areas (2025). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  5. U.S. Office of Personnel Management, General Schedule (GS) pay rates with locality pay, 2026 (2026). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  6. U.S. Office of Personnel Management, Locality codes used in the 2026 GS pay spreadsheet (2026). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  7. U.S. Office of Personnel Management, 2026 Locality Pay Area Definitions (counties in each pay area) (2026). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  8. Tax Foundation, State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets, 2026 (2026). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  9. U.S. Census Bureau, Cartographic boundary file: states, 1:20,000,000 (2024) (2024). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  10. U.S. Census Bureau, Gazetteer file: core based statistical areas (2025) (2025). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  11. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, table C24010 (occupation of employed residents) by ZIP code area (2024). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  12. U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Tabulation Area relationship files (2020; Connecticut 2022) and Gazetteer locations (2025) (2025). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  13. U.S. Census Bureau, Cartographic boundary files (ZIP code areas 2020; counties and states 2024) and TIGER/Line primary roads (2024) (2024). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  14. Internal Revenue Service, Rev. Proc. 2025-32 (2026 tax brackets and standard deduction) (2026). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  15. Internal Revenue Service, Publication 15 (Circular E), Employer's Tax Guide for 2026 (Social Security and Medicare) (2026). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  16. U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, O*NET 31.0 Database: Job Titles (used under CC BY 4.0; O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA) (2026). Retrieved 2026-10-14.