City comparison
Boulder, CO vs South Bend, IN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boulder, CO are 13.3% higher than in South Bend, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in South Bend, IN would need about $113,300 in Boulder, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,795 a month in Boulder, CO versus $1,105 in South Bend, IN. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Boulder, CO and 17% in South Bend, IN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $771 a year higher in Boulder, CO than in South Bend, IN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.3% moving from Boulder, CO to South Bend, IN ($118,675 → $106,437), while prices change by −11.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.6% in real buying power.
- Boulder, CO: price level 105.2 (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
| Boulder, CO | South Bend, IN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.2 | 92.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $88,266 in South Bend | $113,293 in Boulder |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,795/mo | $1,105/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $76,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $2,921 (IN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 29% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $69,580 | $46,540 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Boulder, CO MSA and South Bend-Mishawaka, IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Boulder, CO and South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boulder | South Bend |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 157.0 | 74.6 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 94.2 |
| Utilities | 82.7 | 87.7 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 99.2 |
| Overall | 105.2 | 92.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boulder, CO → South Bend, IN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +13.3%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$771/yr.
100 Strong offer
South Bend, IN → Boulder, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.7%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax +$771/yr.
32 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boulder, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; South Bend, IN is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Boulder, CO to South Bend, IN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boulder, CO | South Bend, IN | Real change, Boulder → South Bend |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $61,722 | +1.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $74,678 | +1.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $89,508 | +1.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $106,437 | +1.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $125,776 | +1.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boulder, CO | South Bend, IN | South Bend pay in Boulder dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,640 | $58,180 | $65,914 (−18.3%) |
| Software Developers | $164,560 | $95,500 | $108,195 (−34.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,990 | $77,940 | $88,301 (−11.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,290 | $93,540 | $105,975 (+2.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.