City comparison
Reno, NV vs South Bend, IN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Reno, NV are 8.8% higher than in South Bend, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in South Bend, IN would need about $108,800 in Reno, NV to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,489 a month in Reno, NV versus $1,105 in South Bend, IN. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Reno, NV and 17% in South Bend, IN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,921 a year higher in South Bend, IN than in Reno, NV.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.4% moving from Reno, NV to South Bend, IN ($106,855 → $106,437), while prices change by −8.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.4% in real buying power.
- Reno, NV: price level 101.0 (about average)
- 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
| Reno, NV | South Bend, IN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.0 | 92.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,926 in South Bend | $108,783 in Reno |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,489/mo | $1,105/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (NV) | $2,921 (IN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,660 | $46,540 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Reno-Fernley, NV | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Reno, NV HUD Metro FMR Area and South Bend-Mishawaka, IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Reno, NV and South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Reno | South Bend |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 123.5 | 74.6 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 94.2 |
| Utilities | 89.3 | 87.7 |
| Other services | 98.7 | 99.2 |
| Overall | 101.0 | 92.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Reno, NV → South Bend, IN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.8%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$2,921/yr.
96 Strong offer
South Bend, IN → Reno, NV
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.1%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$2,921/yr.
44 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Reno, NV is in the Reno-Fernley, NV pay area; South Bend, IN is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Reno, NV to South Bend, IN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Reno, NV | South Bend, IN | Real change, Reno → South Bend |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,965 | $61,722 | +8.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,972 | $74,678 | +8.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,859 | $89,508 | +8.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,855 | $106,437 | +8.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,271 | $125,776 | +8.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Reno, NV | South Bend, IN | South Bend pay in Reno dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,430 | $58,180 | $63,290 (+1.4%) |
| Software Developers | $125,710 | $95,500 | $103,888 (−17.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,370 | $77,940 | $84,786 (+2.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $107,520 | $93,540 | $101,756 (−5.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.