Cost of living in Fort Wayne research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Fort Wayne is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in Indiana, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:
The cost of living index in Fort Wayne is 91, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Fort Wayne is 0.9x lower than the national average.
Fort Wayne ranks as the #65 cheapest in Indiana out of 128.
Fort Wayne ranks as the #1,347 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Fort Wayne is $237,567.
The median income in Fort Wayne is $60,293.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Fort Wayne has an overall cost of living index of 91, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to Indiana, Fort Wayne has a cost of living index that's 1.0x lower than Indiana's index of 92.
The standard of living in Fort Wayne ranks as #65 most affordable out of the 128 places we measured in Indiana. By definition, that implies Fort Wayne ranks as the #63 most expensive place in the Hoosier State.
For more reading on life in Fort Wayne, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Fort Wayne. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Fort Wayne is 94.
The Groceries index in Fort Wayne is 100.
The Health index in Fort Wayne is 96.
The Housing index in Fort Wayne is 73.
The Transportation index in Fort Wayne is 100.
The Utilities index in Fort Wayne is 102.
| Living Expense | Fort Wayne | Indiana | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 91 | 92 | 100 | |
| Services | 94 | 95 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 100 | 97 | 100 | |
| Health | 96 | 94 | 100 | |
| Housing | 73 | 73 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 100 | 94 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 102 | 107 | 100 | |
Housing swings affordability the most between places in Indiana, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Fort Wayne is $237,567.
The Median Rent in Fort Wayne is $959.
The Median Income in Fort Wayne is $60,293.
The Home Value To Income in Fort Wayne is 3.9x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Fort Wayne is 0.19x.
| Statistic | Fort Wayne | Indiana | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $237,567 | $251,301 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $959 | $1,020 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $60,293 | $70,051 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 3.9x | 3.6x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.19x | 0.17x | 0.21x |
| Item | Fort Wayne | Indiana |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.32 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $12.75 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $16.72 | $18 |
| Haircut | $26.22 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $33.78 | $45.56 |
| Item | Fort Wayne | Indiana |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $6.1 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.64 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.74 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $5.08 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $12.79 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $10.06 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.63 | $3.7 |
| Item | Fort Wayne | Indiana |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $104.3 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $119.61 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $110.0 | $113.29 |
| Item | Fort Wayne | Indiana |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.35 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $59.65 | $59.92 |
| Item | Fort Wayne | Indiana |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $197.87 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $192.69 | $192.25 |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Fort Wayne. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Goshen, IN has a cost of living index of 88, 1.0x Fort Wayne.
Defiance, OH has a cost of living index of 93, 1.0x Fort Wayne.
New Haven, IN has a cost of living index of 91, 1.0x Fort Wayne.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Fort Wayne |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goshen, IN | 34,374 | 88 | 1.0x |
| Defiance, OH | 16,830 | 93 | 1.0x |
| New Haven, IN | 15,339 | 91 | 1.0x |
| Auburn, IN | 13,464 | 89 | 1.0x |
| Celina, OH | 11,017 | 94 | 1.0x |
| Van Wert, OH | 10,710 | 92 | 1.0x |
| Decatur, IN | 9,769 | 87 | 1.0x |
| Bryan, OH | 8,664 | 84 | 0.9x |
| Delphos, OH | 7,063 | 90 | 1.0x |
| Garrett, IN | 6,540 | 86 | 0.9x |