City comparison
Indianapolis, IN vs Riverside, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Riverside, CA are 11.2% higher than in Indianapolis, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in Indianapolis, IN would need about $111,200 in Riverside, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,777 a month in Riverside, CA versus $1,267 in Indianapolis, IN. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Riverside, CA and 20% in Indianapolis, IN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,150 a year higher in Riverside, CA than in Indianapolis, IN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +15.5% moving from Indianapolis, IN to Riverside, CA ($107,428 → $124,085), while prices change by +11.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.8% in real buying power.
- Indianapolis, IN: price level 95.7 (cheaper)
- Riverside, CA: price level 106.4 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Indianapolis, IN | Riverside, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.7 | 106.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $111,229 in Riverside | $89,904 in Indianapolis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,267/mo | $1,777/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% | 29% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,340 | $48,400 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA |
Rent areas: Indianapolis-Carmel, IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA MSA. Metro areas: Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN and Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Indianapolis | Riverside |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 88.9 | 129.3 |
| Goods | 94.3 | 101.4 |
| Utilities | 86.4 | 148.6 |
| Other services | 99.1 | 101.3 |
| Overall | 95.7 | 106.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Indianapolis, IN → Riverside, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.1%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax +$2,150/yr.
32 Weak offer
Riverside, CA → Indianapolis, IN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.2%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$2,150/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Indianapolis, IN is in the Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN pay area; Riverside, CA is in Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Indianapolis, IN to Riverside, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Indianapolis, IN | Riverside, CA | Real change, Indianapolis → Riverside |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,297 | $71,957 | +3.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,374 | $87,061 | +3.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,341 | $104,349 | +3.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,428 | $124,085 | +3.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,947 | $146,632 | +3.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Indianapolis, IN | Riverside, CA | Riverside pay in Indianapolis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,510 | $98,520 | $88,574 (+46.4%) |
| Software Developers | $106,870 | $133,270 | $119,816 (+12.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,290 | $83,920 | $75,448 (−4.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,230 | $133,940 | $120,418 (+43.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.