City comparison
Buffalo, NY vs Indianapolis, IN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Buffalo, NY (95.8) and Indianapolis, IN (95.7, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Buffalo, NY goes as far as $99,800 in Indianapolis, IN.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,267 a month in Indianapolis, IN versus $1,139 in Buffalo, NY. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Indianapolis, IN and 18% in Buffalo, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,939 a year higher in Buffalo, NY than in Indianapolis, IN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.5% moving from Buffalo, NY to Indianapolis, IN ($111,301 → $107,428), while prices change by −0.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.3% in real buying power.
- Buffalo, NY: price level 95.8 (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
| Buffalo, NY | Indianapolis, IN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.8 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,846 in Indianapolis | $100,155 in Buffalo |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,139/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 | 18% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,790 | $49,340 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY | Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN |
Rent areas: Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY MSA and Indianapolis-Carmel, IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY and Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Buffalo | Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 81.0 | 88.9 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 94.3 |
| Utilities | 129.5 | 86.4 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 99.1 |
| Overall | 95.8 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Buffalo, NY → Indianapolis, IN
Roughly even
Buying power +0.2%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$1,939/yr.
69 Fair offer
Indianapolis, IN → Buffalo, NY
Roughly even
Buying power −0.2%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,939/yr.
68 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Buffalo, NY is in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY pay area; Indianapolis, IN is in Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN. The last column shows what a transfer from Buffalo, NY to Indianapolis, IN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Buffalo, NY | Indianapolis, IN | Real change, Buffalo → Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,543 | $62,297 | −3.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,091 | $75,374 | −3.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,598 | $90,341 | −3.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,301 | $107,428 | −3.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,525 | $126,947 | −3.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Buffalo, NY | Indianapolis, IN | Indianapolis pay in Buffalo dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,490 | $60,510 | $60,604 (−20.8%) |
| Software Developers | $127,850 | $106,870 | $107,035 (−16.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,120 | $79,290 | $79,413 (−3.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,060 | $84,230 | $84,360 (−14.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.