City comparison
El Paso, TX vs Indianapolis, IN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Indianapolis, IN are 6.4% higher than in El Paso, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in El Paso, TX would need about $106,400 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 $1,013 in El Paso, TX. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Indianapolis, IN and 15% in El Paso, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,921 a year higher in Indianapolis, IN than in El Paso, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.9% moving from El Paso, TX to Indianapolis, IN ($106,437 → $107,428), while prices change by +6.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.2% in real buying power.
- El Paso, TX: price level 89.9 (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
| El Paso, TX | Indianapolis, IN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.9 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,433 in Indianapolis | $93,956 in El Paso |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,013/mo | $1,267/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $2,921 (IN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $39,510 | $49,340 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN |
Rent areas: El Paso, TX HUD Metro FMR Area and Indianapolis-Carmel, IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: El Paso, TX and Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | El Paso | Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 71.2 | 88.9 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 94.3 |
| Utilities | 82.6 | 86.4 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 99.1 |
| Overall | 89.9 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
El Paso, TX → Indianapolis, IN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.0%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$2,921/yr.
50 Fair offer
Indianapolis, IN → El Paso, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.4%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$2,921/yr.
89 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
El Paso, TX is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Indianapolis, IN is in Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN. The last column shows what a transfer from El Paso, TX to Indianapolis, IN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | El Paso, TX | Indianapolis, IN | Real change, El Paso → Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,297 | −5.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,374 | −5.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,341 | −5.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $107,428 | −5.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $126,947 | −5.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | El Paso, TX | Indianapolis, IN | Indianapolis pay in El Paso dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,800 | $60,510 | $56,853 (−10.9%) |
| Software Developers | $127,310 | $106,870 | $100,411 (−21.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,990 | $79,290 | $74,498 (+12.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $86,100 | $84,230 | $79,139 (−8.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.