City comparison
Indianapolis, IN vs Omaha, NE
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Indianapolis, IN are 4.1% higher than in Omaha, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Omaha, NE would need about $104,100 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 $1,148 in Omaha, NE. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Indianapolis, IN and 18% in Omaha, NE.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $750 a year higher in Omaha, NE than in Indianapolis, IN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.1% moving from Indianapolis, IN to Omaha, NE ($107,428 → $107,501), while prices change by −4.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.2% in real buying power.
- Indianapolis, IN: price level 95.7 (cheaper)
- Omaha, NE: price level 91.9 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Indianapolis, IN | Omaha, NE | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.7 | 91.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,045 in Omaha | $104,118 in Indianapolis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,267/mo | $1,148/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,260 | $75,510 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,921 (IN) | $3,670 (NE) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,340 | $49,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN | Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA |
Rent areas: Indianapolis-Carmel, IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN and Omaha, NE-IA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Indianapolis | Omaha |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 88.9 | 86.4 |
| Goods | 94.3 | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 86.4 | 76.4 |
| Other services | 99.1 | 93.0 |
| Overall | 95.7 | 91.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Indianapolis, IN → Omaha, NE
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.1%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$750/yr.
82 Strong offer
Omaha, NE → Indianapolis, IN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.0%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$750/yr.
56 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Indianapolis, IN is in the Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN pay area; Omaha, NE is in Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA. The last column shows what a transfer from Indianapolis, IN to Omaha, NE at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Indianapolis, IN | Omaha, NE | Real change, Indianapolis → Omaha |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,297 | $62,339 | +4.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,374 | $75,425 | +4.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,341 | $90,402 | +4.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,428 | $107,501 | +4.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,947 | $127,033 | +4.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Indianapolis, IN | Omaha, NE | Omaha pay in Indianapolis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,510 | $62,670 | $65,251 (+7.8%) |
| Software Developers | $106,870 | $125,220 | $130,377 (+22.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,290 | $77,030 | $80,202 (+1.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,230 | $84,600 | $88,084 (+4.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.