City comparison
Indianapolis, IN vs Salinas, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salinas, CA are 13.9% higher than in Indianapolis, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in Indianapolis, IN would need about $113,900 in Salinas, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,232 a month in Salinas, CA versus $1,267 in Indianapolis, IN. On $100,000, that's 36% of take-home pay in Salinas, CA and 20% in Indianapolis, IN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,150 a year higher in Salinas, 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 Salinas, CA ($107,428 → $133,060), while prices change by +13.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.7% in real buying power.
- Indianapolis, IN: price level 95.7 (cheaper)
- Salinas, CA: price level 109.0 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Indianapolis, IN | Salinas, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.7 | 109.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $113,946 in Salinas | $87,761 in Indianapolis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,267/mo | $2,232/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% | 36% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,340 | $47,380 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA |
Rent areas: Indianapolis-Carmel, IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Salinas, CA MSA. Metro areas: Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN and Salinas, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Indianapolis | Salinas |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 88.9 | 145.7 |
| Goods | 94.3 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 86.4 | 154.2 |
| Other services | 99.1 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 95.7 | 109.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Indianapolis, IN → Salinas, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.2%; rent takes 36% of take-home; state tax +$2,150/yr.
21 Weak offer
Salinas, CA → Indianapolis, IN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +13.9%; 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; Salinas, CA is in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Indianapolis, IN to Salinas, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Indianapolis, IN | Salinas, CA | Real change, Indianapolis → Salinas |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,297 | $77,161 | +8.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,374 | $93,358 | +8.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,341 | $111,896 | +8.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,428 | $133,060 | +8.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,947 | $157,236 | +8.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Indianapolis, IN | Salinas, CA | Salinas pay in Indianapolis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,510 | $100,220 | $87,954 (+45.4%) |
| Software Developers | $106,870 | $135,160 | $118,617 (+11.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,290 | $83,810 | $73,552 (−7.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,230 | $134,910 | $118,398 (+40.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.