City comparison
Ann Arbor, MI vs Fort Wayne, IN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Ann Arbor, MI are 9.0% higher than in Fort Wayne, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in Fort Wayne, IN would need about $109,000 in Ann Arbor, MI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,387 a month in Ann Arbor, MI versus $916 in Fort Wayne, IN. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Ann Arbor, MI and 14% in Fort Wayne, IN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,079 a year higher in Ann Arbor, MI than in Fort Wayne, IN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.3% moving from Ann Arbor, MI to Fort Wayne, IN ($117,402 → $106,437), while prices change by −8.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.2% in real buying power.
- Ann Arbor, MI: price level 100.9 (about average)
- Fort Wayne, IN: price level 92.6 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Ann Arbor, MI | Fort Wayne, IN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.9 | 92.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,764 in Fort Wayne | $108,975 in Ann Arbor |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,387/mo | $916/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $76,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $2,921 (IN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,380 | $47,700 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Ann Arbor, MI MSA and Fort Wayne, IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Ann Arbor, MI and Fort Wayne, IN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Ann Arbor | Fort Wayne |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.3 | 72.3 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 94.3 |
| Utilities | 98.2 | 86.2 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 99.1 |
| Overall | 100.9 | 92.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Ann Arbor, MI → Fort Wayne, IN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.0%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$1,079/yr.
97 Strong offer
Fort Wayne, IN → Ann Arbor, MI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.2%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$1,079/yr.
43 Weak offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Ann Arbor, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Fort Wayne, IN is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Ann Arbor, MI to Fort Wayne, IN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Ann Arbor, MI | Fort Wayne, IN | Real change, Ann Arbor → Fort Wayne |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $61,722 | −1.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $74,678 | −1.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $89,508 | −1.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $106,437 | −1.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $125,776 | −1.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Ann Arbor, MI | Fort Wayne, IN | Fort Wayne pay in Ann Arbor dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $105,010 | $97,000 | $105,705 (+0.7%) |
| Software Developers | $126,830 | $101,560 | $110,675 (−12.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,040 | $75,250 | $82,003 (+2.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,450 | $79,630 | $86,777 (−16.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.