City comparison
Charlotte, NC vs Indianapolis, IN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Charlotte, NC are 1.7% higher than in Indianapolis, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in Indianapolis, IN would need about $101,700 in Charlotte, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,538 a month in Charlotte, NC versus $1,267 in Indianapolis, IN. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Charlotte, NC and 20% in Indianapolis, IN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $561 a year higher in Charlotte, NC than in Indianapolis, IN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.3% moving from Charlotte, NC to Indianapolis, IN ($108,810 → $107,428), while prices change by −1.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.4% in real buying power.
- Charlotte, NC: price level 97.3 (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
| Charlotte, NC | Indianapolis, IN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.3 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,303 in Indianapolis | $101,726 in Charlotte |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,538/mo | $1,267/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $76,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $2,921 (IN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,990 | $49,340 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN |
Rent areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Indianapolis-Carmel, IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC and Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charlotte | Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 97.6 | 88.9 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 94.3 |
| Utilities | 89.2 | 86.4 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 99.1 |
| Overall | 97.3 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charlotte, NC → Indianapolis, IN
Roughly even
Buying power +1.7%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$561/yr.
74 Strong offer
Indianapolis, IN → Charlotte, NC
Roughly even
Buying power −1.7%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$561/yr.
63 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Charlotte, NC is in the Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC pay area; Indianapolis, IN is in Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN. The last column shows what a transfer from Charlotte, NC to Indianapolis, IN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charlotte, NC | Indianapolis, IN | Real change, Charlotte → Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,098 | $62,297 | +0.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,343 | $75,374 | +0.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,503 | $90,341 | +0.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,810 | $107,428 | +0.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,581 | $126,947 | +0.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charlotte, NC | Indianapolis, IN | Indianapolis pay in Charlotte dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,680 | $60,510 | $61,555 (+4.9%) |
| Software Developers | $135,920 | $106,870 | $108,715 (−20.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,910 | $79,290 | $80,659 (−13.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $90,620 | $84,230 | $85,684 (−5.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.