Indiana
IN • Midwest
Quality of Life Score
51.17
State Comparison
Indiana vs North Dakota
Indiana is cheaper overall, while $100 goes further in North Dakota, North Dakota has higher incomes, North Dakota has lower state income tax, and North Dakota gets more sunshine.
Indiana
10
/ 30
metrics won
Score
VS
North Dakota
20
/ 30
metrics won
ND wins Housing
ND wins Quality of Life
IN wins Climate
ND wins Income
Quality of Life
Composite score — income, affordability, education, health, and safety.
Indiana
vs
North Dakota
winner
North Dakota scores higher on quality of life — 3.46 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
Indiana is 7.8 points cheaper overall
Indiana has the lower cost-of-living index. Indiana is at 91.3, while North Dakota is at 99.1.
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Real Dollar Value
$100 goes $0.02 further in North Dakota
After BEA price-level adjustments, $100 has about $110.70 of local buying power in North Dakota, versus $110.68 in Indiana.
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Income
North Dakota income is 10.1% higher
North Dakota has the higher median household income at $73,959, compared with $67,173 in Indiana.
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Jobs
North Dakota has the higher minimum wage
North Dakota has the higher statewide minimum wage at $7.25/hr, compared with $7.25/hr in Indiana.
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Housing
North Dakota homes cost about 1.1x more
Indiana has the lower median home value at $201,800, versus $220,600 in North Dakota.
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Taxes
North Dakota has lower state income tax
North Dakota has the lower state income tax rate. Its top rate is 2.50%, compared with 3.15% in Indiana.
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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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North Dakota
- Gross salary
- —
- State income tax (top rate 2.5%)
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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, 91.0 for North Dakota). 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 has a lower overall cost of living.
- Indiana has lower median home values.
- Indiana has lower property tax rates on average.
- Indiana job growth trend is stronger.
Cons
- Indiana has a higher housing cost index.
- Indiana shows lower median income.
- Indiana has a higher violent crime rate.
- Indiana health access/outcomes proxy is lower.
- Indiana health coverage access proxy is weaker.
- Indiana education proxy is lower.
North Dakota
At-a-glance strengths and tradeoffs
Pros: North Dakota
- North Dakota has a lower housing cost index.
- North Dakota shows higher median income.
- North Dakota has a lower violent crime rate.
- North Dakota health access/outcomes proxy is higher.
- North Dakota health coverage access proxy is stronger.
- North Dakota education proxy is higher.
Cons
- North Dakota has a higher overall cost of living.
- North Dakota has higher median home values.
- North Dakota has higher property tax rates on average.
- North Dakota job growth trend is weaker.
Full Comparison
Pick a category to focus on. General shows the most important facts at a glance.
| Metric |
IN
|
ND
|
|---|---|---|
|
Capital City
|
Indianapolis | Bismarck |
|
State Color
|
Solid Red | Solid Red |
|
Population
|
6,785,528
|
779,094
|
|
Median Income
|
$67,173
|
$73,959
|
|
Cost of Living
|
91.3
|
99.1
|
|
Median Housing Value
|
$201,800
|
$220,600
|
|
Property Tax
|
0.74%
|
0.99%
|
|
State Income Tax
|
3.15%
|
2.50%
|
|
Minimum Wage
|
$7.25/hr
|
$7.25/hr
|
|
Gas Price
|
$3.905/gal
|
$3.451/gal
|
|
Electricity Rates
|
16.19 c/kWh
|
10.92 c/kWh
|
|
Livability Score
|
51.17
|
54.63
|
|
Average Temperature
|
51.7°F
|
40.4°F
|
|
Sunny Days
|
88 days
|
93 days
|
|
Land Area
|
36,420 sq mi
|
70,698 sq mi
|
|
Population Density
|
186.3 per sq mi
|
11.0 per sq mi
|
|
Statehood
|
December 11, 1816 (#19)
|
November 2, 1889 (#39)
|
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
15
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Saving Money
Indiana is cheaper overall
Overall cost-of-living index: 91.3 vs 99.1 in North Dakota. On a national baseline of 100, the lower score usually means cheaper day-to-day expenses.
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Gas Price
North Dakota is cheaper at the pump
Average regular gas price: $3.451/gal in North Dakota vs $3.905/gal in Indiana. Lower pump prices can cut everyday driving costs.
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Electricity Rates
North Dakota has cheaper electricity
Average residential electricity rate: 10.92 c/kWh in North Dakota 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
North Dakota is more attainable for buyers
Home-value-to-income ratio: 2.98x in North Dakota 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
North Dakota is easier for renters
Rent-to-income ratio: 15.2% in North Dakota 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 0.99% in North Dakota. 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.
Population
Indiana has a larger population than North Dakota by 6,006,434 people.
Population Density
Indiana is more densely populated than North Dakota.
Bachelor's Degree
North Dakota has a higher college-educated share than Indiana.
Advanced Degree
Indiana has a higher advanced-degree share than North Dakota.
People Also Ask
Indiana vs North Dakota - Common Questions
Q Is Indiana cheaper to live in than North Dakota?
Indiana has the lower cost of living. On the national index (100 = average), Indiana scores 91.3 versus 99.1 for North Dakota - a gap of 7.8 points.
Q Where does $100 go further - Indiana or North Dakota?
$100 goes further in North Dakota. After BEA regional price adjustments, $100 is worth about $110.70 in North Dakota, compared with $110.68 in Indiana.
Q Which state is bigger - Indiana or North Dakota?
North Dakota is larger, covering 70,698 sq mi compared with 36,420 sq mi for Indiana - roughly 1.9x the size.
Q Does Indiana or North Dakota have more people?
Indiana has the larger population at 6,785,528, compared with 779,094 in North Dakota.
Q Which state has higher household income - Indiana or North Dakota?
North Dakota has the higher median household income at $73,959, versus $67,173 in Indiana.
Q Which state has lower income taxes - Indiana or North Dakota?
North Dakota has the lower state income tax top rate at 2.50%, compared with 3.15% in Indiana.
Q Is housing cheaper in Indiana or North Dakota?
Homes are cheaper in Indiana, where the median home value is $201,800, versus $220,600 in North Dakota.
Q Which state is more densely populated - Indiana or North Dakota?
Indiana is more densely populated at 186.3 per sq mi people per sq mi. North Dakota is more spread out at 11.0 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.