Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood

Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources

Verdict
Favorable
Cost Index: 98.1 → 95.7
Rent Delta: -$379/mo

Pros of Moving

  • + $379/mo cheaper rent (2BR)
  • + Lower violent crime rate
  • + Fewer environmental violations

Cons of Moving

  • - Higher student-teacher ratios

Moving from Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos to Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood shifts your BEA Regional Price Parity from 98.1 to 95.7 (100 = US average), so a Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos salary needs to be multiplied by 0.98 to hold the same purchasing power in Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood. On rent, HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom goes from $1,852/month in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos to $1,473/month in Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood - a lower monthly bill of $379, or $4,548/year. That rent delta alone is often the single biggest line item when relocating.

Wages tell the other half. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics report a median salary of $71,789 in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos versus $70,366 in Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood - a raw gap of $1,423 lower. The Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood labor market has 1,085,370 tracked jobs against 1,265,270 in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, shaping how easy it is to find a comparable role. Combine that with the cost-of-living shift above and you get the real purchasing-power delta, sometimes a "higher salary" is actually a pay cut once rent and RPP are applied.

Safety, schools, and childcare round out the move. FBI UCR violent crime rates near Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos and Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood are 395 and 308 per 100,000 (state-level). NCES student-teacher ratios run 14.7:1 at origin versus 15.9:1 at destination. Our composite verdict - Favorable - weighs all seven federal sources; the dimension table below lets you override that with your personal priorities.

Dimension
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos
Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood
Winner
💰 Cost of Living
RPP 98.1
RPP 95.7
Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood
🏠 Rent (2BR)
$1,852/mo
$1,473/mo
Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood
💼 Wages
$71,789
$70,366
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos
🔒 Crime
395 per 100K
308 per 100K
Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood
🎓 Schools
14.7:1
15.9:1
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos
👶 Childcare
$7,566/yr
N/A
Tie
🌿 Environment
33822 violations
1467 violations
Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood

Salary Adjustment Calculator

Enter your current salary in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos to see what you'd need to earn in Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood to maintain the same purchasing power.

Equivalent salary in Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood
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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood more expensive than Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos?
Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood has an RPP of 95.7 compared to Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos's 98.1 (100 = national average). Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos is more expensive overall. The 2BR rent in Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood is $1,473/mo vs $1,852/mo in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos.
What are salaries like in Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood compared to Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos?
The median salary in Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood is $70,366 compared to $71,789 in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos. That's a -$1,423 difference.
Is Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood safer than Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos?
The violent crime rate near Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood is 308 per 100K vs 395 per 100K near Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos (state-level data). Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood has a lower crime rate.
How much would I need to earn in Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood to match my Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos salary?
To maintain the same purchasing power, multiply your Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos salary by 0.98. For example, a $75,000 salary in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos would need to be $73,187 in Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood. Use the salary calculator above for your exact figure.
What does the "Favorable" verdict mean?
The verdict is computed from 7 dimensions, cost of living, rent, wages, crime, schools, childcare, and environment, using federal data. "Favorable" means the destination edges ahead on balance. Individual priorities may shift the balance, weigh the dimensions that matter most to you.

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Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents, BLS OES, FBI UCR, NCES, DOL, EPA June 2026

Data Sources

  • Cost of Living: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities
  • Rent: HUD Fair Market Rents (FMR)
  • Wages: Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES)
  • Crime: FBI Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) - state level
  • Schools: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
  • Childcare: Department of Labor (DOL) - state level
  • Environment: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)