Metro Life Score
Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN
Below-median composite Life Score — grade B-, 48th percentile of the national corpus.
- 49.2
- Life Score / 100
- B-
- Grade (curved)
- #203
- of 387 metros
- 48%
- composite percentile
Data updated August 2026
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The verdict
Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood is below-median composite Life Score — #203 of 387 (49.2/100, grade B-, 48th percentile). Carried by wages at 76/100; held back most by environment at 16/100.
- 48th
- composite percentile
- #203
- of 387 peers
- 39th
- cost dimension percentile
- 76th
- wages dimension percentile
Life Score shape · MID · WAGE-LED · signature wages
Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood: pay power is the signature
Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood stamps MID · WAGE-LED with wages at the 76th percentile of the metro corpus (HIGH) — ahead of its cost mark (DEAR, 39th) and composite #203. Wages (76/100) amplifies the lead; Environment (16/100) is the residual gap. According to PlainCompare's federal Life Score corpus ranking, Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN ranks #203 of 387 metros by composite Life Score (highest = #1) and #236 of 387 by cost-of-living dimension score (highest = #1). Methodology.
BEA RPP 95.7 (rent-RPP 88.9). BLS median salary $70,366, 1,085,370 jobs (Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand, Retail Salespersons, Fast Food and Counter Workers). HUD 2BR FMR $1,473/mo (studio $1,118).
FBI UCR (IN): 308 violent, 1321 property/100K. NCES: 15.9:1 ratio, 6.5% charter. EPA: 53 Superfund sites (IN).
Where Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood sits among all US metros
Composite Life Score vs the national field
49 48th percentile higher than 48% of 387 US metros
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US metros. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source PlainCompare composite of BEA, BLS, HUD, FBI, NCES, DOL, EPA data · August 2026
Dimension detail
How Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood scores, dimension by dimension
Score Breakdown
Dimension Scores
Key Data Points
Geography used: crime, schools, childcare, and environment cards above are IN state-level when metro-specific feeds are unavailable, see the scope key at the top of this page.
Compare Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood With...
Ranking Context
Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood outranks 48% of U.S. metros.
| Rank | Metro | Score | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| #200 | Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | 49.3 | B- |
| #201 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 49.3 | B- |
| #202 | York-Hanover, PA | 49.4 | B- |
| #203 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | 49.2 | B- |
| #204 | Reno, NV | 49.2 | B- |
| #205 | Ocala, FL | 49.1 | B- |
| #206 | Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | 49.1 | B- |
IN Metro Scores
Read with Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood
Nearest composite peers and cost poles for Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood (MID · WAGE-LED · DEAR/HIGH), replacing the fixed Explore/Guides strip.
Reno, NV
ABS(composite) peer at 49.2 (Δ 0.0 vs this metro); higher Life Score · grade B- vs this page's MID · WAGE-LED · DEAR/HIGH.
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA
ABS(composite) peer at 49.3 (Δ 0.1 vs this metro); higher Life Score · grade B- vs this page's MID · WAGE-LED · DEAR/HIGH.
Cape Girardeau, MO-IL
ABS(composite) peer at 49.3 (Δ 0.1 vs this metro); higher Life Score · grade B- vs this page's MID · WAGE-LED · DEAR/HIGH.
Ocala, FL
ABS(composite) peer at 49.1 (Δ 0.1 vs this metro); lower Life Score · grade B- vs this page's MID · WAGE-LED · DEAR/HIGH.
Syracuse, NY (cost pole)
ABS(cost_score) orthogonal peer at 39/100 (Δ 0); cost stamp DEAR vs this metro's DEAR.
Helena, MT (cost pole)
ABS(cost_score) orthogonal peer at 39/100 (Δ 0); cost stamp DEAR vs this metro's DEAR.
Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN relocation guide
Stamp-branched guide for MID · WAGE-LED · DEAR/HIGH - how to read federal Life Score inputs before a move.