City comparison
Indianapolis, IN vs Washington, DC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Washington, DC are 13.8% higher than in Indianapolis, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in Indianapolis, IN would need about $113,800 in Washington, DC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,015 a month in Washington, DC versus $1,267 in Indianapolis, IN. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Washington, DC and 20% in Indianapolis, IN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,611 a year higher in Washington, DC than in Indianapolis, IN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +13.4% moving from Indianapolis, IN to Washington, DC ($107,428 → $121,785), while prices change by +13.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.4% in real buying power.
- Indianapolis, IN: price level 95.7 (cheaper)
- Washington, DC: price level 108.9 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Indianapolis, IN | Washington, DC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.7 | 108.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $113,781 in Washington | $87,888 in Indianapolis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,267/mo | $2,015/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,260 | $73,649 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,921 (IN) | $5,532 (DC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 33% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,340 | $71,060 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA |
Rent areas: Indianapolis-Carmel, IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Indianapolis | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 88.9 | 151.1 |
| Goods | 94.3 | 104.8 |
| Utilities | 86.4 | 106.7 |
| Other services | 99.1 | 102.3 |
| Overall | 95.7 | 108.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Indianapolis, IN → Washington, DC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.1%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax +$2,611/yr.
26 Weak offer
Washington, DC → Indianapolis, IN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +13.8%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$2,611/yr.
100 Strong offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Indianapolis, IN is in the Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN pay area; Washington, DC is in Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Indianapolis, IN to Washington, DC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Indianapolis, IN | Washington, DC | Real change, Indianapolis → Washington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,297 | $70,623 | −0.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,374 | $85,447 | −0.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,341 | $102,415 | −0.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,428 | $121,785 | −0.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,947 | $143,913 | −0.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Indianapolis, IN | Washington, DC | Washington pay in Indianapolis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $98,060 | $148,950 | $130,909 (+33.5%) |
| Software Developers | $106,870 | $154,930 | $136,165 (+27.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,290 | $102,140 | $89,769 (+13.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,230 | $102,710 | $90,270 (+7.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.