City comparison
Indianapolis, IN vs Merced, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Merced, CA are 2.7% higher than in Indianapolis, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in Indianapolis, IN would need about $102,700 in Merced, CA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,267 a month in Indianapolis, IN and $1,213 in Merced, CA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,150 a year higher in Merced, CA than in Indianapolis, IN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +23.9% moving from Indianapolis, IN to Merced, CA ($107,428 → $133,060), while prices change by +2.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +20.6% in real buying power.
- Indianapolis, IN: price level 95.7 (cheaper)
- Merced, CA: price level 98.3 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Indianapolis, IN | Merced, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.7 | 98.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,695 in Merced | $97,376 in Indianapolis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,267/mo | $1,213/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,260 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,921 (IN) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,340 | $47,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA |
Rent areas: Indianapolis-Carmel, IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Merced, CA MSA. Metro areas: Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN and Merced, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Indianapolis | Merced |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 88.9 | 78.6 |
| Goods | 94.3 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 86.4 | 158.3 |
| Other services | 99.1 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 95.7 | 98.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Indianapolis, IN → Merced, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.6%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$2,150/yr.
61 Fair offer
Merced, CA → Indianapolis, IN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.7%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$2,150/yr.
77 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Indianapolis, IN is in the Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN pay area; Merced, CA is in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Indianapolis, IN to Merced, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Indianapolis, IN | Merced, CA | Real change, Indianapolis → Merced |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,297 | $77,161 | +20.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,374 | $93,358 | +20.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,341 | $111,896 | +20.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,428 | $133,060 | +20.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,947 | $157,236 | +20.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Indianapolis, IN | Merced, CA | Merced pay in Indianapolis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,510 | $100,120 | $97,493 (+61.1%) |
| Software Developers | $106,870 | $132,120 | $128,653 (+20.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,290 | $80,420 | $78,310 (−1.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,230 | $131,620 | $128,166 (+52.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.