City comparison
Buffalo, NY vs Fort Wayne, IN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Buffalo, NY are 3.5% higher than in Fort Wayne, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in Fort Wayne, IN would need about $103,500 in Buffalo, NY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,139 a month in Buffalo, NY versus $916 in Fort Wayne, IN. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Buffalo, NY and 14% in Fort Wayne, IN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,939 a year higher in Buffalo, NY than in Fort Wayne, IN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.4% moving from Buffalo, NY to Fort Wayne, IN ($111,301 → $106,437), while prices change by −3.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.0% in real buying power.
- Buffalo, NY: price level 95.8 (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
| Buffalo, NY | Fort Wayne, IN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.8 | 92.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,586 in Fort Wayne | $103,535 in Buffalo |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,139/mo | $916/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $76,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $2,921 (IN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,790 | $47,700 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY MSA and Fort Wayne, IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY and Fort Wayne, IN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Buffalo | Fort Wayne |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 81.0 | 72.3 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 94.3 |
| Utilities | 129.5 | 86.2 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 99.1 |
| Overall | 95.8 | 92.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Buffalo, NY → Fort Wayne, IN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.5%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$1,939/yr.
80 Strong offer
Fort Wayne, IN → Buffalo, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.4%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,939/yr.
58 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Buffalo, NY is in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY pay area; Fort Wayne, IN is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Buffalo, NY to Fort Wayne, IN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Buffalo, NY | Fort Wayne, IN | Real change, Buffalo → Fort Wayne |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,543 | $61,722 | −1.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,091 | $74,678 | −1.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,598 | $89,508 | −1.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,301 | $106,437 | −1.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,525 | $125,776 | −1.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Buffalo, NY | Fort Wayne, IN | Fort Wayne pay in Buffalo dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,490 | $59,800 | $61,914 (−19.1%) |
| Software Developers | $127,850 | $101,560 | $105,150 (−17.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,120 | $75,250 | $77,910 (−5.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,060 | $79,630 | $82,445 (−16.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.