City comparison
Brownsville, TX vs Fort Wayne, IN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Fort Wayne, IN are 7.7% higher than in Brownsville, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Brownsville, TX would need about $107,700 in Fort Wayne, IN to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $916 a month in Fort Wayne, IN versus $866 in Brownsville, TX. On $100,000, that's 14% of take-home pay in Fort Wayne, IN and 13% in Brownsville, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,921 a year higher in Fort Wayne, IN than in Brownsville, TX.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Brownsville, TX to Fort Wayne, IN changes real buying power by −7.1%, purely from prices.
- Brownsville, TX: price level 86.0 (much cheaper)
- 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
| Brownsville, TX | Fort Wayne, IN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 86.0 | 92.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,673 in Fort Wayne | $92,874 in Brownsville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $866/mo | $916/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $2,921 (IN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 13% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $36,490 | $47,700 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Brownsville-Harlingen, TX MSA and Fort Wayne, IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Brownsville-Harlingen, TX and Fort Wayne, IN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Brownsville | Fort Wayne |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 57.7 | 72.3 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 94.3 |
| Utilities | 81.2 | 86.2 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 99.1 |
| Overall | 86.0 | 92.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Brownsville, TX → Fort Wayne, IN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.1%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$2,921/yr.
46 Fair offer
Fort Wayne, IN → Brownsville, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.7%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax −$2,921/yr.
93 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Brownsville, TX to Fort Wayne, IN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Brownsville, TX | Fort Wayne, IN | Real change, Brownsville → Fort Wayne |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −7.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −7.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −7.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −7.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −7.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Brownsville, TX | Fort Wayne, IN | Fort Wayne pay in Brownsville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,350 | $59,800 | $55,538 (−12.3%) |
| Software Developers | $106,990 | $101,560 | $94,322 (−11.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $66,440 | $75,250 | $69,887 (+5.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,090 | $79,630 | $73,955 (−8.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.