City comparison
Indianapolis, IN vs Santa Maria, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Santa Maria, CA are 13.7% higher than in Indianapolis, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in Indianapolis, IN would need about $113,700 in Santa Maria, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,746 a month in Santa Maria, CA versus $1,267 in Indianapolis, IN. On $100,000, that's 44% of take-home pay in Santa Maria, CA and 20% in Indianapolis, IN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,150 a year higher in Santa Maria, 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 Santa Maria, CA ($107,428 → $124,085), while prices change by +13.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.6% in real buying power.
- Indianapolis, IN: price level 95.7 (cheaper)
- Santa Maria, CA: price level 108.8 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Indianapolis, IN | Santa Maria, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.7 | 108.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $113,691 in Santa Maria | $87,957 in Indianapolis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,267/mo | $2,746/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% | 44% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,340 | $51,690 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA |
Rent areas: Indianapolis-Carmel, IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA MSA. Metro areas: Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN and Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Indianapolis | Santa Maria |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 88.9 | 151.4 |
| Goods | 94.3 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 86.4 | 149.8 |
| Other services | 99.1 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 95.7 | 108.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Indianapolis, IN → Santa Maria, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.0%; rent takes 44% of take-home; state tax +$2,150/yr.
8 Weak offer
Santa Maria, CA → Indianapolis, IN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +13.7%; 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; Santa Maria, CA is in Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Indianapolis, IN to Santa Maria, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Indianapolis, IN | Santa Maria, CA | Real change, Indianapolis → Santa Maria |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,297 | $71,957 | +1.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,374 | $87,061 | +1.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,341 | $104,349 | +1.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,428 | $124,085 | +1.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,947 | $146,632 | +1.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Indianapolis, IN | Santa Maria, CA | Santa Maria pay in Indianapolis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,510 | $101,030 | $88,863 (+46.9%) |
| Software Developers | $106,870 | $158,290 | $139,228 (+30.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,290 | $91,610 | $80,578 (+1.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,230 | $137,360 | $120,818 (+43.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.