City comparison
Baton Rouge, LA vs Indianapolis, IN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Indianapolis, IN are 5.4% higher than in Baton Rouge, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in Baton Rouge, LA would need about $105,400 in Indianapolis, IN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,267 a month in Indianapolis, IN versus $1,064 in Baton Rouge, LA. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Indianapolis, IN and 17% in Baton Rouge, LA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $307 a year higher in Indianapolis, IN than in Baton Rouge, LA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.9% moving from Baton Rouge, LA to Indianapolis, IN ($106,437 → $107,428), while prices change by +5.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.3% in real buying power.
- Baton Rouge, LA: price level 90.8 (much cheaper)
- 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
| Baton Rouge, LA | Indianapolis, IN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.8 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,415 in Indianapolis | $94,863 in Baton Rouge |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,064/mo | $1,267/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,566 | $76,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,614 (LA) | $2,921 (IN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,710 | $49,340 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN |
Rent areas: Baton Rouge, LA HUD Metro FMR Area and Indianapolis-Carmel, IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Baton Rouge, LA and Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Baton Rouge | Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 74.2 | 88.9 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 94.3 |
| Utilities | 71.2 | 86.4 |
| Other services | 95.7 | 99.1 |
| Overall | 90.8 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Baton Rouge, LA → Indianapolis, IN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.1%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$307/yr.
53 Fair offer
Indianapolis, IN → Baton Rouge, LA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.4%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$307/yr.
86 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Baton Rouge, LA is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Indianapolis, IN is in Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN. The last column shows what a transfer from Baton Rouge, LA to Indianapolis, IN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Baton Rouge, LA | Indianapolis, IN | Real change, Baton Rouge → Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,297 | −4.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,374 | −4.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,341 | −4.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $107,428 | −4.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $126,947 | −4.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Baton Rouge, LA | Indianapolis, IN | Indianapolis pay in Baton Rouge dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,310 | $60,510 | $57,402 (−3.2%) |
| Software Developers | $101,900 | $106,870 | $101,380 (−0.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $73,070 | $79,290 | $75,217 (+2.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,130 | $84,230 | $79,903 (−1.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.