City comparison
Boston, MA vs Indianapolis, IN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boston, MA are 13.1% higher than in Indianapolis, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in Indianapolis, IN would need about $113,100 in Boston, MA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,476 a month in Boston, MA versus $1,267 in Indianapolis, IN. On $100,000, that's 40% of take-home pay in Boston, MA and 20% in Indianapolis, IN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,860 a year higher in Boston, MA than in Indianapolis, IN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.9% moving from Boston, MA to Indianapolis, IN ($120,548 → $107,428), while prices change by −11.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.8% in real buying power.
- Boston, MA: price level 108.3 (much pricier)
- 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
| Boston, MA | Indianapolis, IN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 108.3 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $88,390 in Indianapolis | $113,135 in Boston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,476/mo | $1,267/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,400 | $76,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,780 (MA) | $2,921 (IN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 40% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $66,620 | $49,340 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN |
Rent areas: Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH HUD Metro FMR Area and Indianapolis-Carmel, IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH and Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boston | Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 148.4 | 88.9 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 94.3 |
| Utilities | 148.8 | 86.4 |
| Other services | 103.6 | 99.1 |
| Overall | 108.3 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boston, MA → Indianapolis, IN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +13.1%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$1,860/yr.
100 Strong offer
Indianapolis, IN → Boston, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.6%; rent takes 40% of take-home; state tax +$1,860/yr.
15 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boston, MA is in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT pay area; Indianapolis, IN is in Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN. The last column shows what a transfer from Boston, MA to Indianapolis, IN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boston, MA | Indianapolis, IN | Real change, Boston → Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $62,297 | +0.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $75,374 | +0.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $90,341 | +0.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $107,428 | +0.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $126,947 | +0.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boston, MA | Indianapolis, IN | Indianapolis pay in Boston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $98,060 | $60,510 | $68,458 (−30.2%) |
| Software Developers | $166,090 | $106,870 | $120,908 (−27.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $100,150 | $79,290 | $89,705 (−10.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $106,180 | $84,230 | $95,294 (−10.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.