Fort Wayne, IN Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Fort Wayne, IN Summary

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.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
91
Fort Wayne's Overall Cost Of Living
0.9x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Fort Wayne, IN?

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:

65 out of 128
In Indiana
1,347 out of 6,489
In America

Fort Wayne Cost Of Living Vs. Indiana

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
For more reading on cost of living around Indiana, check out:
Fort Wayne Cost of Living Vs. IN

Fort Wayne, IN Housing Cost Breakdown

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
$237,567
Median Home Value
$959
Median Rent
$60,293
Median Income

Fort Wayne, IN Costs By Category

Detailed Fort Wayne Services Costs Vs. Indiana

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

Detailed Fort Wayne Groceries Costs Vs. Indiana

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

Detailed Fort Wayne Health Costs Vs. Indiana

Item Fort Wayne Indiana
Optometrist $104.3 $125.68
Doctor $119.61 $135.78
Dentist $110.0 $113.29

Detailed Fort Wayne Transportation Costs Vs. Indiana

Item Fort Wayne Indiana
Gasoline $3.35 $3.46
Tire Balancing $59.65 $59.92

Detailed Fort Wayne Utilities Costs Vs. Indiana

Item Fort Wayne Indiana
All Electricity $197.87 $193.99
Phone $192.69 $192.25

Fort Wayne SnackAbility

6
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
6/10
Housing
6
Affordability
8
Diversity
8.5
Safety
5
Amenities
9
Education
8
Commute
8.5

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Fort Wayne

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

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