City comparison
Indianapolis, IN vs Provo, UT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Provo, UT are 2.7% higher than in Indianapolis, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in Indianapolis, IN would need about $102,700 in Provo, UT to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,267 a month in Indianapolis, IN and $1,265 in Provo, UT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $614 a year higher in Provo, UT than in Indianapolis, IN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.9% moving from Indianapolis, IN to Provo, UT ($107,428 → $106,437), while prices change by +2.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.5% in real buying power.
- Indianapolis, IN: price level 95.7 (cheaper)
- Provo, UT: price level 98.2 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Indianapolis, IN | Provo, UT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.7 | 98.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,650 in Provo | $97,418 in Indianapolis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,267/mo | $1,265/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,260 | $75,646 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,921 (IN) | $3,534 (UT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,340 | $48,010 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Indianapolis-Carmel, IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT MSA. Metro areas: Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN and Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Indianapolis | Provo |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 88.9 | 104.1 |
| Goods | 94.3 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 86.4 | 78.6 |
| Other services | 99.1 | 99.0 |
| Overall | 95.7 | 98.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Indianapolis, IN → Provo, UT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.6%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$614/yr.
61 Fair offer
Provo, UT → Indianapolis, IN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.7%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$614/yr.
77 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Indianapolis, IN is in the Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN pay area; Provo, UT is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Indianapolis, IN to Provo, UT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Indianapolis, IN | Provo, UT | Real change, Indianapolis → Provo |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,297 | $61,722 | −3.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,374 | $74,678 | −3.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,341 | $89,508 | −3.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,428 | $106,437 | −3.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,947 | $125,776 | −3.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Indianapolis, IN | Provo, UT | Provo pay in Indianapolis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,510 | $62,930 | $61,305 (+1.3%) |
| Software Developers | $106,870 | $131,210 | $127,823 (+19.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,290 | $75,700 | $73,746 (−7.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,230 | $81,780 | $79,669 (−5.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.