Overall
92.6
-7.4 below avg
2024 BEA RPP All 4 categories Federal source
Fort Wayne, IN
Cost-of-living indicators for Fort Wayne, IN, compiled from Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities (2024 data year). Categories include All Items, Goods, Services, and Rents.
CBSA: 23060 · Data year: 2024 · Rank: #227 of 387
Fort Wayne, IN has a cost of living index of 92.6, meaning it's 7.4% less expensive than the national average. Goods cost 5.7% less, services 13.8% less, and rents are 27.7% below average. A $100K national salary has the purchasing power of $108,024 here.
What the Numbers Mean for Fort Wayne
Fort Wayne ranks #227 of 387 U.S. metro areas measured by the Bureau of Economic Analysis, placing it in the lower half by cost. With an overall Regional Price Parity of 92.6, Fort Wayne, IN is 7.4% less expensive than the national baseline of 100. The gap between Fort Wayne's most and least expensive categories — the priciest line item versus rents at 72.3 — is what drives the household budget experience on the ground, not the single headline number.
Translated into dollars, a nationally-benchmarked $100,000 salary carries the purchasing power of $108,024 inside Fort Wayne, while a household needs roughly $92,572 here to match a $100K lifestyle elsewhere. Rents carry the biggest swing in the BEA formula and are indexed at 72.3 — 27.7% below the national average — so anyone weighing a move or a remote-work arbitrage should treat the housing line as the single largest variable in the equation.
Looking at the 2008-2024 trajectory, Fort Wayne's overall index has stayed within 0.9 points, holding steady versus other U.S. metros. For the 2024 data year, goods are indexed at 94.3 and services at 86.2, meaning everyday spending in Fort Wayne is governed more by the services and rent mix than by retail goods prices. Readers comparing multiple destinations should always pair the RPP headline with local wage data and housing costs before drawing relocation conclusions.
Fort Wayne Cost Index at a Glance
Fort Wayne all-items cost index
Regional Price Parity vs national average (100)
Fort Wayne category breakdown
BEA RPP composition by goods, services, rents, overall
Price Index Summary
Goods
94.3
-5.7 below avg
Services
86.2
-13.8 below avg
Rents
72.3
-27.7 below avg
Price Index vs National Average (100)
Overall
National avg
Index 92.6 (-7.4 vs national avg)
Goods
National avg
Index 94.3 (-5.7 vs national avg)
Services
National avg
Index 86.2 (-13.8 vs national avg)
Rents
National avg
Index 72.3 (-27.7 vs national avg)
Vertical line on each bar = national average (100)
Cost Breakdown Analysis
Below National Average
Rents -27.7% (72.3)
Services -13.8% (86.2)
Overall -7.4% (92.6)
Goods -5.7% (94.3)
Income Adequacy in Fort Wayne
Fort Wayne income adequacy score
$75,000 median income vs RPP 92.6
Salary Equivalent
A $100,000 salary at the national average cost of living equals:
$92,572
in Fort Wayne, IN purchasing power
$50,000 nationally
$46,286
$75,000 nationally
$69,429
$125,000 nationally
$115,715
$150,000 nationally
$138,858
$200,000 nationally
$185,144
Use the salary calculator for custom amounts.
RPP History (2008-2024)
The cost of living has remained relatively stable, changing by only 0.9 points over this period.
| Year | Overall |
|---|---|
| 2008 | 93.5 |
| 2009 | 92.0 |
| 2010 | 92.6 |
| 2011 | 92.0 |
| 2012 | 92.2 |
| 2013 | 92.8 |
| 2014 | 91.8 |
| 2015 | 91.1 |
| 2016 | 92.0 |
| 2017 | 90.6 |
| 2018 | 91.6 |
| 2019 | 92.1 |
| 2020 | 89.9 |
| 2021 | 91.7 |
| 2022 | 92.4 |
| 2023 | 89.7 |
| 2024 | 92.6 |
Metros with Similar Cost of Living
These metros have an overall RPP closest to Fort Wayne, IN's index of 92.6.
Other IN Metros
Related Data for Fort Wayne
Salary Data
BLS occupation wages for Fort Wayne area
Fair Market Rents
HUD rent data for Fort Wayne metro
Crime Rates
FBI UCR crime data near Fort Wayne
School Districts
NCES school data for Fort Wayne area
ZIP Code Data
Census demographics for Fort Wayne area
Life Score
Quality-of-life composite rating
Relocation Guide
7-dimension relocation intelligence
Cost of Living Guides
Cheapest Metros to Live in 2026
Official BEA data on the most affordable areas
Most Expensive Cities: 2026 Rankings
What drives high costs and how to cope
Salary Negotiation Using RPP Data
Calculate real purchasing power for negotiations
Comparing Metro Areas
Step-by-step BEA RPP comparison walkthrough
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost of living in Fort Wayne, IN? ▼
Fort Wayne, IN has a Regional Price Parity (RPP) index of 92.6, meaning it is 7.4% less expensive than the national average. Goods are indexed at 94.3, services at 86.2, and rents at 72.3. It ranks #227 out of 387 U.S. metro areas by overall cost.
What salary do I need in Fort Wayne, IN to match $100K nationally? ▼
To maintain the same purchasing power as a $100,000 salary at the national average, you would need approximately $92,572 in Fort Wayne, IN. Conversely, $100K earned in Fort Wayne, IN has the purchasing power of $108,024 at the national average.
How expensive is rent in Fort Wayne, IN? ▼
Rents in Fort Wayne, IN are indexed at 72.3, which is 27.7% below the national average. This makes the area relatively affordable for renters.
Is Fort Wayne, IN getting more expensive? ▼
From 2008 to 2024, Fort Wayne, IN's overall cost index changed by -0.9 points (from 93.5 to 92.6). The cost of living has remained relatively stable.
What metros have a similar cost of living to Fort Wayne, IN? ▼
Metros with the most similar overall cost index include Knoxville, Waco, New Orleans-Metairie. These areas have RPP values within a few points of Fort Wayne, IN's 92.6.
Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by Metropolitan Statistical Area (2024). Index where national average = 100.
Related
Data sourced from official U.S. government datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCost Editorial
Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
All federal data sources used on this page
- BEA Regional Price Parities (RPP) — cost-of-living indices by metro and state. bea.gov/data/regional-price-parities
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI) — inflation context by metro. bls.gov/cpi
- HUD Fair Market Rents (FMR) — housing-cost component. huduser.gov/datasets/fmr
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) — wage component. bls.gov/oes
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS — household income + demographics. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
- IRS Statistics of Income (SOI) — tax-burden context. irs.gov/statistics
