City comparison
Indianapolis, IN vs Tuscaloosa, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Indianapolis, IN are 9.1% higher than in Tuscaloosa, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Tuscaloosa, AL would need about $109,100 in Indianapolis, IN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,267 a month in Indianapolis, IN versus $972 in Tuscaloosa, AL. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Indianapolis, IN and 16% in Tuscaloosa, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,815 a year higher in Tuscaloosa, AL than in Indianapolis, IN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.1% moving from Indianapolis, IN to Tuscaloosa, AL ($107,428 → $107,510), while prices change by −8.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +9.2% in real buying power.
- Indianapolis, IN: price level 95.7 (cheaper)
- Tuscaloosa, AL: price level 87.7 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Indianapolis, IN | Tuscaloosa, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.7 | 87.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,667 in Tuscaloosa | $109,090 in Indianapolis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,267/mo | $972/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,260 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,921 (IN) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,340 | $45,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN | Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL |
Rent areas: Indianapolis-Carmel, IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Tuscaloosa, AL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN and Tuscaloosa, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Indianapolis | Tuscaloosa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 88.9 | 58.2 |
| Goods | 94.3 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 86.4 | 84.4 |
| Other services | 99.1 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 95.7 | 87.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Indianapolis, IN → Tuscaloosa, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.1%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$1,815/yr.
97 Strong offer
Tuscaloosa, AL → Indianapolis, IN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.3%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$1,815/yr.
43 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Indianapolis, IN is in the Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN pay area; Tuscaloosa, AL is in Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL. The last column shows what a transfer from Indianapolis, IN to Tuscaloosa, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Indianapolis, IN | Tuscaloosa, AL | Real change, Indianapolis → Tuscaloosa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,297 | $62,344 | +9.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,374 | $75,431 | +9.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,341 | $90,410 | +9.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,428 | $107,510 | +9.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,947 | $127,044 | +9.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Indianapolis, IN | Tuscaloosa, AL | Tuscaloosa pay in Indianapolis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,510 | $60,220 | $65,694 (+8.6%) |
| Software Developers | $106,870 | $104,870 | $114,403 (+7.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,290 | $71,690 | $78,207 (−1.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,230 | $75,250 | $82,090 (−2.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.