City comparison
Indianapolis, IN vs York, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Indianapolis, IN (95.7) and York, PA (96.0, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Indianapolis, IN goes as far as $100,300 in York, PA.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,267 a month in Indianapolis, IN versus $1,060 in York, PA. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Indianapolis, IN and 17% in York, PA.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $2,921 a year in IN and $3,070 in PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +13.4% moving from Indianapolis, IN to York, PA ($107,428 → $121,785), while prices change by +0.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +13.0% in real buying power.
- Indianapolis, IN: price level 95.7 (cheaper)
- York, PA: price level 96.0 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Indianapolis, IN | York, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.7 | 96.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,318 in York | $99,683 in Indianapolis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,267/mo | $1,060/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,260 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,921 (IN) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,340 | $48,170 |
| 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 York-Hanover, PA MSA. Metro areas: Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN and York-Hanover, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Indianapolis | York |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 88.9 | 79.8 |
| Goods | 94.3 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 86.4 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 99.1 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 95.7 | 96.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Indianapolis, IN → York, PA
Roughly even
Buying power −0.3%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$150/yr.
68 Fair offer
York, PA → Indianapolis, IN
Roughly even
Buying power +0.3%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$150/yr.
70 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Indianapolis, IN is in the Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN pay area; York, PA is in Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Indianapolis, IN to York, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Indianapolis, IN | York, PA | Real change, Indianapolis → York |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,297 | $70,623 | +13.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,374 | $85,447 | +13.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,341 | $102,415 | +13.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,428 | $121,785 | +13.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,947 | $143,913 | +13.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Indianapolis, IN | York, PA | York pay in Indianapolis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,510 | $79,730 | $79,478 (+31.3%) |
| Software Developers | $106,870 | $114,600 | $114,237 (+6.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,290 | $75,160 | $74,922 (−5.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,230 | $96,210 | $95,905 (+13.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.