City comparison
Des Moines, IA vs Indianapolis, IN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Indianapolis, IN are 4.4% higher than in Des Moines, IA. Someone earning $100,000 in Des Moines, IA would need about $104,400 in Indianapolis, IN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,267 a month in Indianapolis, IN versus $1,109 in Des Moines, IA. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Indianapolis, IN and 18% in Des Moines, IA.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,148 a year in IA and $2,921 in IN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.1% moving from Des Moines, IA to Indianapolis, IN ($107,301 → $107,428), while prices change by +4.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.1% in real buying power.
- Des Moines, IA: price level 91.7 (much 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
| Des Moines, IA | Indianapolis, IN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.7 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,357 in Indianapolis | $95,825 in Des Moines |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,109/mo | $1,267/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,032 | $76,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,148 (IA) | $2,921 (IN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,820 | $49,340 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA | Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN |
Rent areas: Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA HUD Metro FMR Area and Indianapolis-Carmel, IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA and Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Des Moines | Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 84.7 | 88.9 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 94.3 |
| Utilities | 84.6 | 86.4 |
| Other services | 92.9 | 99.1 |
| Overall | 91.7 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Des Moines, IA → Indianapolis, IN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.2%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$228/yr.
56 Fair offer
Indianapolis, IN → Des Moines, IA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.4%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$228/yr.
82 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Des Moines, IA is in the Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA pay area; Indianapolis, IN is in Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN. The last column shows what a transfer from Des Moines, IA to Indianapolis, IN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Des Moines, IA | Indianapolis, IN | Real change, Des Moines → Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,223 | $62,297 | −4.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,284 | $75,374 | −4.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,234 | $90,341 | −4.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,301 | $107,428 | −4.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,797 | $126,947 | −4.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Des Moines, IA | Indianapolis, IN | Indianapolis pay in Des Moines dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,650 | $60,510 | $57,984 (−5.9%) |
| Software Developers | $126,460 | $106,870 | $102,409 (−19.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,290 | $79,290 | $75,980 (−4.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $78,630 | $84,230 | $80,714 (+2.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.