City comparison
Albany, NY vs Indianapolis, IN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Albany, NY are 4.0% higher than in Indianapolis, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in Indianapolis, IN would need about $104,000 in Albany, NY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,417 a month in Albany, NY versus $1,267 in Indianapolis, IN. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Albany, NY and 20% in Indianapolis, IN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,939 a year higher in Albany, NY than in Indianapolis, IN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.2% moving from Albany, NY to Indianapolis, IN ($109,810 → $107,428), while prices change by −3.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.8% in real buying power.
- Albany, NY: price level 99.6 (about average)
- Indianapolis, IN: price level 95.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albany, NY | Indianapolis, IN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 99.6 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,113 in Indianapolis | $104,044 in Albany |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,417/mo | $1,267/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 $100,000 | 23% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,460 | $49,340 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA | Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN |
Rent areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY MSA and Indianapolis-Carmel, IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY and Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albany | Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 102.6 | 88.9 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 94.3 |
| Utilities | 134.0 | 86.4 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 99.1 |
| Overall | 99.6 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albany, NY → Indianapolis, IN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.0%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$1,939/yr.
81 Strong offer
Indianapolis, IN → Albany, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.9%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$1,939/yr.
57 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albany, NY is in the Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA pay area; Indianapolis, IN is in Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN. The last column shows what a transfer from Albany, NY to Indianapolis, IN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albany, NY | Indianapolis, IN | Real change, Albany → Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,678 | $62,297 | +1.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,045 | $75,374 | +1.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,344 | $90,341 | +1.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,810 | $107,428 | +1.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $129,763 | $126,947 | +1.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albany, NY | Indianapolis, IN | Indianapolis pay in Albany dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,240 | $60,510 | $62,957 (−20.5%) |
| Software Developers | $127,910 | $106,870 | $111,192 (−13.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $84,660 | $79,290 | $82,497 (−2.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,970 | $84,230 | $87,636 (−12.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.