City comparison
Colorado Springs, CO vs Indianapolis, IN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Colorado Springs, CO are 5.2% higher than in Indianapolis, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in Indianapolis, IN would need about $105,200 in Colorado Springs, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,464 a month in Colorado Springs, CO versus $1,267 in Indianapolis, IN. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Colorado Springs, CO and 20% in Indianapolis, IN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $771 a year higher in Colorado Springs, CO than in Indianapolis, IN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.7% moving from Colorado Springs, CO to Indianapolis, IN ($109,246 → $107,428), while prices change by −5.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.5% in real buying power.
- Colorado Springs, CO: price level 100.7 (about average)
- 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
| Colorado Springs, CO | Indianapolis, IN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.7 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,024 in Indianapolis | $105,236 in Colorado Springs |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,464/mo | $1,267/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 | 23% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $52,710 | $49,340 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Colorado Springs, CO | Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN |
Rent areas: Colorado Springs, CO HUD Metro FMR Area and Indianapolis-Carmel, IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Colorado Springs, CO and Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Colorado Springs | Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 116.2 | 88.9 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 94.3 |
| Utilities | 83.2 | 86.4 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 99.1 |
| Overall | 100.7 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Colorado Springs, CO → Indianapolis, IN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.2%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$771/yr.
85 Strong offer
Indianapolis, IN → Colorado Springs, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.0%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$771/yr.
53 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Colorado Springs, CO is in the Colorado Springs, CO pay area; Indianapolis, IN is in Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN. The last column shows what a transfer from Colorado Springs, CO to Indianapolis, IN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Colorado Springs, CO | Indianapolis, IN | Real change, Colorado Springs → Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,351 | $62,297 | +3.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,650 | $75,374 | +3.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,870 | $90,341 | +3.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,246 | $107,428 | +3.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $129,096 | $126,947 | +3.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Colorado Springs, CO | Indianapolis, IN | Indianapolis pay in Colorado Springs dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,140 | $60,510 | $63,679 (+4.2%) |
| Software Developers | $134,280 | $106,870 | $112,466 (−16.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,000 | $79,290 | $83,442 (−1.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,140 | $84,230 | $88,641 (−7.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.