State profile
Indiana Cost of Living Comparison
Indiana's 2024 price level is 93.329, 6.67% below the national level, with rents at 73.926 and goods at 95.509, both comfortably under the U.S. level.
Updated
93.329Indiana all-items price level, U.S. = 100 · rank 18 of 51, lowest first
| Measure | Indiana | South Carolina | First − second |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-items price level | 93.329 | 93.749 | −0.420 points |
| Rent price level | 73.926 | 80.490 | −6.564 points |
| Home value | $218,200±$739 | $259,000±$1,421 | −$40,800 |
| Two-bedroom gross rent | $1,076±$7 | $1,148±$11 | −$72 |
| Household income | $71,957±$352 | $69,324±$570 | +$2,633 |
| Real estate taxes paid | $1,614±$9 | $1,251±$7 | +$363 |
$4,000 of monthly spending in Indiana scales to $4,018 in South Carolina at the 2024 all-items price ratio.
BEA 2024 and ACS 2020–2024; ± marks the Census 90% margin. How to read a gap
Indiana: the low-tax side of the Illinois line
Next to Illinois, Indiana's ownership numbers stand out. A typical Indiana owner pays $1,614 a year in property tax against $5,298 across the state line, and mortgaged owners' monthly costs rank 48th of 51. The median home value of $218,200 ranks 41st, and the two-bedroom gross-rent median of $1,076 ranks 36th.
Wages are a different calculation. Indiana's income tax is 2.95% for 2026, but counties add their own income tax, so a household's rate depends on where it lives and works. The state government collected $3,932 per resident in fiscal 2025 (rank 31), with general sales supplying 40.9%, individual income tax 31.7% and other selective sales 13.1%.
Prices have risen modestly relative to the nation: from 91.763 in 2020 to 93.329 in 2024, a gain of 1.566 points that came mostly in the last year. Goods rank 12th-lowest and rents 16th-lowest; utilities, at 85.545, and other services, at 99.145, are closer to the middle.
Purchasing power is middling. Median household income is $71,957 (rank 39), and real per capita personal income, adjusted for prices, is $55,562, rank 36. Renters spend 29.1% of income on gross rent, the same share as in Illinois.
Indiana's four neighbours bracket it. Illinois (99.958) and Michigan (96.217) are pricier, Ohio (92.774) is almost level, and Kentucky (90.159) is cheaper, with rents at 64.313 and a two-bedroom median of $968. South Carolina (93.749) is Indiana's closest price level nationally.
Category price levels in Indiana
| Category | Parity | Rank, low first | vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | 93.329 | 18 | 6.67% below |
| Goods | 95.509 | 12 | 4.49% below |
| Housing (rents) | 73.926 | 16 | 26.07% below |
| Utilities | 85.545 | 20 | 14.45% below |
| Other services | 99.145 | 24 | 0.86% below |
| Real income per person, 2017 $ | $55,562 | 36 | U.S. $59,195 |
All items by year: 2020 91.763 · 2021 92.579 · 2022 91.875 · 2023 92.097 · 2024 93.329 (+1.566 since 2020). How to read categories and trends
Monthly housing costs
- Owners with a mortgage
- $1,404±$5 · rank 48, high first
- Owners without a mortgage
- $517±$3 · rank 40
- Renters: gross rent / income
- 29.1%±0.3 · rank 33
Indiana state tax collections, FY2025
$27.42 billion in total, $3,932 per resident. Scope of these figures
| Tax | FY2025 | Share | Per resident |
|---|---|---|---|
| Individual income | $8.69 billion | 31.7% | $1,246 |
| General sales | $11.22 billion | 40.9% | $1,609 |
| Property | $17.1 million | 0.1% | $2 |
| Motor fuel | $1.79 billion | 6.5% | $256 |
| Other selective sales | $3.60 billion | 13.1% | $517 |
| Corporate income | $893.9 million | 3.3% | $128 |
| Licenses | $1.21 billion | 4.4% | $173 |
| Severance | $2.2 million | 0.0% | $0 |
| Other taxes | $0.0 million | 0.0% | $0 |
Indiana income tax on wages
Indiana's adjusted gross income tax rate for individuals is 2.95% for 2026 and is scheduled to be 2.90% in 2027, according to the Indiana Department of Revenue. Indiana counties levy their own income taxes on top of the state rate, and those county rates can change in January and October.
Read : Indiana Department of Revenue: rates, fees and penalties. Price parities exclude income taxes.
Indiana sales tax
Indiana's Department of Revenue tells a business selling goods or other tangible personal property to register to collect Indiana's 7% sales tax.
Indiana beside its neighbours
Before you budget a move
Indiana movers should record residence, work location and any local income-tax obligations in the tax preparation step. A statewide price index does not account for a household’s county-specific situation. Keep prepared taxes separate from the Census income benchmark and from the gross annual compensation offered by an employer.
For an Indianapolis-area offer or another destination, gather the proposed rent, utilities and commute together. A cheaper lease that changes travel time or vehicle needs may alter the budget in another category. The state table helps identify questions; the address worksheet provides the decision inputs.
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