City comparison
Columbus, OH vs Fort Wayne, IN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Columbus, OH are 3.1% higher than in Fort Wayne, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in Fort Wayne, IN would need about $103,100 in Columbus, OH to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,194 a month in Columbus, OH versus $916 in Fort Wayne, IN. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Columbus, OH and 14% in Fort Wayne, IN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $953 a year higher in Fort Wayne, IN than in Columbus, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Columbus, OH to Fort Wayne, IN ($111,065 → $106,437), while prices change by −3.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.2% in real buying power.
- Columbus, OH: price level 95.5 (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
| Columbus, OH | Fort Wayne, IN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 92.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,966 in Fort Wayne | $103,129 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,194/mo | $916/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $76,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $2,921 (IN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,340 | $47,700 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Fort Wayne, IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbus, OH and Fort Wayne, IN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Fort Wayne |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.9 | 72.3 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 94.3 |
| Utilities | 95.5 | 86.2 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 99.1 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 92.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, OH → Fort Wayne, IN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.1%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$953/yr.
79 Strong offer
Fort Wayne, IN → Columbus, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.0%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$953/yr.
59 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, OH is in the Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH pay area; Fort Wayne, IN is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, OH to Fort Wayne, IN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, OH | Fort Wayne, IN | Real change, Columbus → Fort Wayne |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,406 | $61,722 | −1.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,926 | $74,678 | −1.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,400 | $89,508 | −1.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,065 | $106,437 | −1.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,245 | $125,776 | −1.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, OH | Fort Wayne, IN | Fort Wayne pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,150 | $59,800 | $61,671 (−21.1%) |
| Software Developers | $122,340 | $101,560 | $104,738 (−14.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,700 | $75,250 | $77,605 (−5.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,900 | $79,630 | $82,122 (−2.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.