City comparison
Indianapolis, IN vs Salt Lake City, UT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salt Lake City, UT are 5.4% higher than in Indianapolis, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in Indianapolis, IN would need about $105,400 in Salt Lake City, UT to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,456 a month in Salt Lake City, UT versus $1,267 in Indianapolis, IN. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Salt Lake City, UT and 20% in Indianapolis, IN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $614 a year higher in Salt Lake City, 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 Salt Lake City, UT ($107,428 → $106,437), while prices change by +5.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −6.0% in real buying power.
- Indianapolis, IN: price level 95.7 (cheaper)
- Salt Lake City, UT: price level 100.9 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Indianapolis, IN | Salt Lake City, UT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.7 | 100.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,405 in Salt Lake City | $94,873 in Indianapolis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,267/mo | $1,456/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% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,340 | $55,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Indianapolis-Carmel, IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Salt Lake City, UT HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN and Salt Lake City-Murray, UT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Indianapolis | Salt Lake City |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 88.9 | 123.3 |
| Goods | 94.3 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 86.4 | 79.0 |
| Other services | 99.1 | 99.0 |
| Overall | 95.7 | 100.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Indianapolis, IN → Salt Lake City, UT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.1%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$614/yr.
53 Fair offer
Salt Lake City, UT → Indianapolis, IN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.4%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$614/yr.
86 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Indianapolis, IN is in the Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN pay area; Salt Lake City, UT is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Indianapolis, IN to Salt Lake City, UT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Indianapolis, IN | Salt Lake City, UT | Real change, Indianapolis → Salt Lake City |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,297 | $61,722 | −6.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,374 | $74,678 | −6.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,341 | $89,508 | −6.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,428 | $106,437 | −6.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,947 | $125,776 | −6.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Indianapolis, IN | Salt Lake City, UT | Salt Lake City pay in Indianapolis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,510 | $77,920 | $73,925 (+22.2%) |
| Software Developers | $106,870 | $129,600 | $122,955 (+15.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,290 | $82,100 | $77,890 (−1.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,230 | $85,890 | $81,486 (−3.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.