Indiana
IN • Midwest
Quality of Life Score
51.17
State Comparison
Indiana vs Kansas
Kansas is cheaper overall, while $100 goes further in Kansas, Indiana has higher incomes, Indiana has lower state income tax, and Kansas gets more sunshine.
Indiana
8
/ 30
metrics won
Score
VS
Kansas
22
/ 30
metrics won
KS wins Housing
KS wins Quality of Life
KS wins Climate
KS wins Income
Quality of Life
Composite score — income, affordability, education, health, and safety.
Indiana
vs
Kansas
winner
Kansas scores higher on quality of life — 1.03 points difference.
Overview
Key differences overview
These cards keep the comparison factual first, so the biggest tradeoffs in affordability, housing, taxes, politics, climate, and day-to-day living are easy to scan.
Overall Affordability
Kansas is 1.1 points cheaper overall
Kansas has the lower cost-of-living index. Kansas is at 90.2, while Indiana is at 91.3.
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Real Dollar Value
$100 goes $2.41 further in Kansas
After BEA price-level adjustments, $100 has about $113.09 of local buying power in Kansas, versus $110.68 in Indiana.
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Income
Indiana income is 0.3% higher
Indiana has the higher median household income at $67,173, compared with $66,962 in Kansas.
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Jobs
Kansas has the higher minimum wage
Kansas has the higher statewide minimum wage at $7.25/hr, compared with $7.25/hr in Indiana.
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Housing
Indiana homes cost about 1.1x more
Kansas has the lower median home value at $185,900, versus $201,800 in Indiana.
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Taxes
Indiana has lower state income tax
Indiana has the lower state income tax rate. Its top rate is 3.15%, compared with 5.70% in Kansas.
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Enter your gross income to see real purchasing power and the cost-of-living equivalent in both states.
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Indiana
- Gross salary
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- State income tax (top rate 3.1%)
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- After state tax
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- Real buying power (BEA RPP)
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Kansas
- Gross salary
- —
- State income tax (top rate 5.7%)
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- After state tax
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- Real buying power (BEA RPP)
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Cost-of-Living Equivalent
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* "After state tax" uses the top marginal rate — actual effective rate is lower for most incomes. Real buying power uses BEA Regional Price Parity (89.9 for Indiana, 88.9 for Kansas). COL equivalent uses the MERIC/C2ER composite index.
Tradeoffs
Pros and cons for each state
A fast scan of the biggest advantages and drawbacks pulled from affordability, housing, income, taxes, safety, health, education, jobs, and weather.
Indiana
At-a-glance strengths and tradeoffs
Pros: Indiana
- Indiana shows higher median income.
- Indiana has lower property tax rates on average.
- Indiana has a lower violent crime rate.
- Indiana job growth trend is stronger.
- Indiana health coverage access proxy is stronger.
Cons
- Indiana has a higher overall cost of living.
- Indiana has a higher housing cost index.
- Indiana has higher median home values.
- Indiana health access/outcomes proxy is lower.
- Indiana education proxy is lower.
- Indiana has fewer sunny days.
Kansas
At-a-glance strengths and tradeoffs
Pros: Kansas
- Kansas has a lower overall cost of living.
- Kansas has a lower housing cost index.
- Kansas has lower median home values.
- Kansas health access/outcomes proxy is higher.
- Kansas education proxy is higher.
- Kansas has more sunny days.
Cons
- Kansas shows lower median income.
- Kansas has higher property tax rates on average.
- Kansas has a higher violent crime rate.
- Kansas job growth trend is weaker.
- Kansas health coverage access proxy is weaker.
Full Comparison
Pick a category to focus on. General shows the most important facts at a glance.
| Metric |
IN
|
KS
|
|---|---|---|
|
Capital City
|
Indianapolis | Topeka |
|
State Color
|
Solid Red | Solid Red |
|
Population
|
6,785,528
|
2,937,880
|
|
Median Income
|
$67,173
|
$66,962
|
|
Cost of Living
|
91.3
|
90.2
|
|
Median Housing Value
|
$201,800
|
$185,900
|
|
Property Tax
|
0.74%
|
1.29%
|
|
State Income Tax
|
3.15%
|
5.70%
|
|
Minimum Wage
|
$7.25/hr
|
$7.25/hr
|
|
Gas Price
|
$3.905/gal
|
$3.365/gal
|
|
Electricity Rates
|
16.19 c/kWh
|
14.29 c/kWh
|
|
Livability Score
|
51.17
|
52.20
|
|
Average Temperature
|
51.7°F
|
54.3°F
|
|
Sunny Days
|
88 days
|
128 days
|
|
Land Area
|
36,420 sq mi
|
82,278 sq mi
|
|
Population Density
|
186.3 per sq mi
|
35.7 per sq mi
|
|
Statehood
|
December 11, 1816 (#19)
|
January 29, 1861 (#34)
|
Intent-Oriented
Which state fits your priorities better?
Use these cards as decision shortcuts for common goals like saving money, buying a home, finding better weather, or optimizing for work and family life.
6
of
16
shown
Saving Money
Kansas is cheaper overall
Overall cost-of-living index: 90.2 vs 91.3 in Indiana. On a national baseline of 100, the lower score usually means cheaper day-to-day expenses.
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Gas Price
Kansas is cheaper at the pump
Average regular gas price: $3.365/gal in Kansas vs $3.905/gal in Indiana. Lower pump prices can cut everyday driving costs.
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Electricity Rates
Kansas has cheaper electricity
Average residential electricity rate: 14.29 c/kWh in Kansas vs 16.19 c/kWh in Indiana. Lower cents-per-kWh pricing can help keep utility bills down.
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Buying a Home
Kansas is more attainable for buyers
Home-value-to-income ratio: 2.78x in Kansas vs 3.00x in Indiana. A lower ratio means the median home is easier to afford on a median income.
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Renting
Kansas is easier for renters
Rent-to-income ratio: 17.7% in Kansas vs 17.9% in Indiana. A lower percentage means rent takes a smaller bite out of a typical household budget.
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Property Tax
Indiana has lower property taxes
Effective property tax rate: 0.74% in Indiana vs 1.29% in Kansas. A lower rate usually means a smaller yearly tax bill relative to home value.
See full dataExplore by Category
Dive Deeper
Each link opens a full one-on-one breakdown for that metric — national rankings, charts, and context.
People Also Ask
Indiana vs Kansas - Common Questions
Q Is Indiana cheaper to live in than Kansas?
Kansas has the lower cost of living. On the national index (100 = average), Kansas scores 90.2 versus 91.3 for Indiana - a gap of 1.1 points.
Q Where does $100 go further - Indiana or Kansas?
$100 goes further in Kansas. After BEA regional price adjustments, $100 is worth about $113.09 in Kansas, compared with $110.68 in Indiana.
Q Which state is bigger - Indiana or Kansas?
Kansas is larger, covering 82,278 sq mi compared with 36,420 sq mi for Indiana - roughly 2.3x the size.
Q Does Indiana or Kansas have more people?
Indiana has the larger population at 6,785,528, compared with 2,937,880 in Kansas.
Q Which state has higher household income - Indiana or Kansas?
Indiana has the higher median household income at $67,173, versus $66,962 in Kansas.
Q Which state has lower income taxes - Indiana or Kansas?
Indiana has the lower state income tax top rate at 3.15%, compared with 5.70% in Kansas.
Q Is housing cheaper in Indiana or Kansas?
Homes are cheaper in Kansas, where the median home value is $185,900, versus $201,800 in Indiana.
Q Which state is more densely populated - Indiana or Kansas?
Indiana is more densely populated at 186.3 per sq mi people per sq mi. Kansas is more spread out at 35.7 per sq mi people per sq mi.
Related Comparisons
Methodology
All figures are sourced from U.S. government datasets and updated annually. Page last updated: April 2026.
Core demographic data comes from the 2020 U.S. Census, with land area from U.S. Census Bureau TIGER files and statehood dates from the National Archives. Income, housing, affordability, and tax fields are maintained in our comparison dataset; purchasing-power figures use BEA Regional Price Parities. Minimum wage data comes from the U.S. Department of Labor, gas prices from AAA, and electricity rates from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Political control and election fields use 2024 presidential results together with National Conference of State Legislatures data. Gun-law labels use the Giffords scorecard, alcohol system data comes from NABCA, and marijuana status uses NCSL's state cannabis laws tracker. See our editorial policy for how we review and update these pages.