City comparison
Indianapolis, IN vs Youngstown, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Indianapolis, IN are 9.5% higher than in Youngstown, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Youngstown, OH would need about $109,500 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 $771 in Youngstown, OH. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Indianapolis, IN and 12% in Youngstown, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $953 a year higher in Indianapolis, IN than in Youngstown, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.5% moving from Indianapolis, IN to Youngstown, OH ($107,428 → $111,138), while prices change by −8.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +13.3% in real buying power.
- Indianapolis, IN: price level 95.7 (cheaper)
- Youngstown, OH: price level 87.4 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Indianapolis, IN | Youngstown, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.7 | 87.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,325 in Youngstown | $109,500 in Indianapolis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,267/mo | $771/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,260 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,921 (IN) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 12% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,340 | $43,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA |
Rent areas: Indianapolis-Carmel, IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Youngstown-Warren, OH MSA. Metro areas: Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN and Youngstown-Warren, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Indianapolis | Youngstown |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 88.9 | 53.4 |
| Goods | 94.3 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 86.4 | 96.3 |
| Other services | 99.1 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 95.7 | 87.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Indianapolis, IN → Youngstown, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.5%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax −$953/yr.
98 Strong offer
Youngstown, OH → Indianapolis, IN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.7%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$953/yr.
42 Weak offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Indianapolis, IN is in the Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN pay area; Youngstown, OH is in Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Indianapolis, IN to Youngstown, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Indianapolis, IN | Youngstown, OH | Real change, Indianapolis → Youngstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,297 | $64,448 | +13.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,374 | $77,977 | +13.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,341 | $93,461 | +13.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,428 | $111,138 | +13.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,947 | $131,331 | +13.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Indianapolis, IN | Youngstown, OH | Youngstown pay in Indianapolis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $98,060 | $85,490 | $93,611 (−4.5%) |
| Software Developers | $106,870 | $107,990 | $118,249 (+10.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,290 | $73,080 | $80,022 (+0.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,230 | $78,680 | $86,154 (+2.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.