Cost of living in Indiana
Prices in Indiana are 6.7% below the US average (34th highest of 51). A single filer on $75,000 pays $2,183 in state income tax. State sales tax: 7%.
Price levels in Indiana
| BEA RPP 2024 | Indiana | vs US (100) |
|---|---|---|
| All items | 93.3 | −6.7% |
| Goods | 95.5 | −4.5% |
| Housing (rents) | 73.9 | −26.1% |
| Utilities | 85.5 | −14.5% |
| Other services | 99.1 | −0.9% |
Metros in Indiana
Metros whose principal city is in Indiana. “Left over” = a single renter earning $60,000, after 2026 taxes (including the principal city’s local tax) and modeled costs.
| Metro | Population | Price level | 2-BR FMR | Infant care / wk* | Left over / mo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis, IN | 2,205,695 | 95.7 | $1,536 | no data | $1,039 |
| Fort Wayne, IN | 466,258 | 92.6 | $1,248 | no data | $1,370 |
| South Bend, IN-MI | 324,538 | 92.9 | $1,276 | no data | $1,296 |
| Evansville, IN | 273,786 | 91.5 | $1,127 | no data | $1,541 |
| Lafayette, IN | 228,468 | 93.4 | $1,273 | no data | $1,341 |
| Elkhart, IN | 208,774 | 90.3 | $1,253 | no data | $1,328 |
| Terre Haute, IN | 169,241 | 87.8 | $1,164 | no data | $1,480 |
| Bloomington, IN | 165,231 | 95.1 | $1,252 | no data | $1,273 |
| Muncie, IN | 113,106 | 88.1 | $1,145 | no data | $1,487 |
| Michigan City, IN | 111,294 | 91.7 | $1,245 | no data | $1,372 |
| Columbus, IN | 85,729 | 93.0 | $1,493 | no data | $1,112 |
| Kokomo, IN | 83,904 | 89.6 | $1,179 | no data | $1,443 |
*Center-based, DOL 2022 price for the metro’s principal county; a year in brackets marks an older latest-available price. “No data”: DOL publishes no price for that county, and childcare is left out of its budgets.
Also partly in Indiana: Chicago, IL-IN, Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN, Louisville, KY-IN.
Taxes in Indiana (2026)
| Annual tax | Single, $50,000 | Single, $75,000 | Single, $120,000 | Couple, 2 kids, $120,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Federal income tax | $3,820 | $7,670 | $17,570 | $5,640 |
| Social Security + Medicare | $3,825 | $5,738 | $9,180 | $9,180 |
| Indiana income tax | $1,446 | $2,183 | $3,511 | $3,334 |
| Indiana payroll taxes | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Take-home pay / month | $3,409 | $4,951 | $7,478 | $8,487 |
Annual liability, standard deduction, Child Tax Credit; local income taxes are not included in this state-level table (see each metro). On $75,000, Indiana’s income and payroll taxes cost $2,183 a year more than in a state without them (federal taxes are the same: $13,408).
Childcare prices across Indiana
DOL’s National Database of Childcare Prices has no county prices for Indiana in any year from 2018 to 2022, so childcare is left out of Indiana metro budgets (with a note) rather than estimated.
Property taxes by county
Effective rate = Census median real estate taxes ÷ median home value (ACS 2020-2024), metro-area counties.
| County | Median value | Median tax | Effective rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake County | $230,600 | $2,112 | 0.92% |
| Marion County | $224,000 | $2,028 | 0.91% |
| Vigo County | $148,500 | $1,313 | 0.88% |
| Hamilton County | $405,500 | $3,549 | 0.88% |
| St. Joseph County | $192,800 | $1,665 | 0.86% |
| Warren County | $182,500 | $914 | 0.50% |
| Morgan County | $237,600 | $1,174 | 0.49% |
| Jasper County | $221,500 | $1,029 | 0.46% |
| Brown County | $269,100 | $1,177 | 0.44% |
| Clay County | $153,000 | $627 | 0.41% |
Five highest and five lowest of 44 counties.
Energy and fuel
EIA: electricity 2025, natural gas 2024, gasoline week ending 2026-10-05.
Who moves to and from Indiana
Census state-to-state migration flows (2024 ACS 1-year; people 1 year and over, ± margin of error at 90%). Totals cover moves between states and DC only: 133,372 in, 130,458 out (net +2,914).
Frequently asked questions
Is Indiana expensive to live in?+
BEA’s Regional Price Parities put Indiana’s overall price level at 93.3 in 2024 (US = 100), the 34th highest of 51 states and DC. Housing is 73.9 and goods 95.5.
Does Indiana have a state income tax?+
Yes. A single filer earning $75,000 owes about $2,183 in Indiana income tax under 2026 law (2.9% of pay).
What is the sales tax in Indiana?+
The state rate is 7% (as of 2026-10-13); groceries are exempt from the state rate. Local sales taxes can add to this.
What is the most affordable metro in Indiana?+
For a single renter earning $60,000, Evansville, IN leaves the most each month after taxes and modeled costs ($1,541), and Indianapolis, IN the least ($1,039).