Moving to Indiana from Oregon

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What to Expect

Considering a move from Oregon to Indiana? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Oregon to Indiana, you would find that Indiana is 5.1% cheaper than Oregon. A $75,000 salary in Oregon would need to be roughly $70,093 in Indiana to maintain the same lifestyle.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Oregon and Indiana.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 $70,093

To maintain the same standard of living in Indiana

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 9.0% less

Groceries

pay 8.1% less

Transportation

pay 12.9% less

Housing

pay 8.6% less

Childcare

pay 18.7% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 14.6% less

See full cost of living breakdown

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

Cost of living by city

Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).

On average, cities in Indiana cost about 15% less than cities in Oregon.

Oregon

Portland 68%
Beaverton 66%
Bend 66%

Indiana

Compare cities head-to-head

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Indiana compared to Oregon.

Is it safe?

Violent crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

OR
323
IN
327
Property crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

OR
2566
IN
1519

Oregon generally does better on safety, though Indiana leads in property crime rate.

How's the healthcare?

Uninsured rate US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of people without health insurance

OR
6.1%
IN
7.3%
Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

OR
31.9%
IN
38.5%

Oregon performs better than Indiana across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What about housing?

Median home value US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical price of a home

OR
$454,200
IN
$201,600
Median rent US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical monthly gross rent

OR
$1,450
IN
$1,020

Indiana performs significantly better than Oregon across all what about housing? metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

OR
91.8%
IN
88.5%
Average commute US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

minutes each way to work

OR
23 min
IN
24 min

Oregon performs better than Indiana across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

OR
5.1%
IN
2.7%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

OR
$61,622
IN
$59,083

Oregon generally does better on employment & economy, though Indiana leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2020

average years of life at birth

OR
78.8 yrs
IN
75.0 yrs
Bachelor's degree or higher US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of adults with a 4-year college degree

OR
26%
IN
19%

Oregon performs better than Indiana across all family life metrics.

Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Salem Rain: 39.7 in/yr (1008 mm)
64° / 42°F

Avg. annual high / low

Indianapolis Rain: 40.8 in/yr (1036 mm)
62° / 44°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Salem Indianapolis
Jan–Mar 52°/36°F (11°/2°C) 42°/26°F (6°/-3°C)
Apr–Jun 68°/45°F (20°/7°C) 72°/53°F (22°/12°C)
Jul–Sep 80°/51°F (27°/11°C) 81°/63°F (27°/17°C)
Oct–Dec 54°/38°F (12°/3°C) 51°/35°F (11°/2°C)
View all months
Month Salem Indianapolis
Jan 48°/35°F (8.7°/1.5°C) 35°/21°F (1.7°/-6.1°C)
Feb 52°/35°F (10.9°/1.4°C) 40°/24°F (4.4°/-4.4°C)
Mar 56°/37°F (13.6°/2.9°C) 51°/33°F (10.8°/0.8°C)
Apr 61°/40°F (16.2°/4.2°C) 63°/44°F (17.1°/6.4°C)
May 68°/45°F (19.9°/7.1°C) 72°/53°F (22.5°/11.7°C)
Jun 74°/49°F (23.3°/9.6°C) 81°/63°F (27.4°/17.4°C)
Jul 82°/53°F (27.8°/11.7°C) 84°/67°F (28.8°/19.2°C)
Aug 82°/53°F (28.0°/11.6°C) 83°/65°F (28.4°/18.3°C)
Sep 77°/48°F (24.9°/9.1°C) 77°/57°F (25.1°/13.9°C)
Oct 64°/42°F (17.8°/5.7°C) 64°/45°F (18.0°/7.3°C)
Nov 53°/38°F (11.4°/3.6°C) 52°/36°F (11.0°/2.3°C)
Dec 46°/34°F (7.9°/1.1°C) 38°/25°F (3.6°/-3.9°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Indiana than Oregon?

On average Indiana is about 7% less expensive than Oregon, with major cities narrowing the gap.

How much money do I need to move to Indiana?

Budget about $17,523 for 3 months in Indiana (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit.

Is Indiana safe?

Oregon generally does better on safety, though Indiana leads in property crime rate.

How is healthcare in Indiana compared to Oregon?

Oregon performs better than Indiana across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What's the weather like in Indiana compared to Oregon?

The average high temperature in Indianapolis is 62°F, compared to 64°F in Salem. Indianapolis receives around 40.8 in of rainfall per year, while Salem gets 39.7 in.

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