City comparison
Fort Wayne, IN vs Gainesville, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Gainesville, FL are 4.5% higher than in Fort Wayne, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in Fort Wayne, IN would need about $104,500 in Gainesville, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,246 a month in Gainesville, FL versus $916 in Fort Wayne, IN. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Gainesville, FL and 14% in Fort Wayne, IN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,921 a year higher in Fort Wayne, IN than in Gainesville, FL.
- 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 Fort Wayne, IN to Gainesville, FL changes real buying power by −4.3%, purely from prices.
- Fort Wayne, IN: price level 92.6 (cheaper)
- Gainesville, FL: price level 96.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fort Wayne, IN | Gainesville, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.6 | 96.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,495 in Gainesville | $95,698 in Fort Wayne |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $916/mo | $1,246/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,260 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,921 (IN) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,700 | $47,020 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Fort Wayne, IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Gainesville, FL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Fort Wayne, IN and Gainesville, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fort Wayne | Gainesville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.3 | 93.0 |
| Goods | 94.3 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 86.2 | 88.2 |
| Other services | 99.1 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 92.6 | 96.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fort Wayne, IN → Gainesville, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.3%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$2,921/yr.
55 Fair offer
Gainesville, FL → Fort Wayne, IN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.5%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$2,921/yr.
83 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 Fort Wayne, IN to Gainesville, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fort Wayne, IN | Gainesville, FL | Real change, Fort Wayne → Gainesville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −4.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −4.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −4.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −4.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −4.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fort Wayne, IN | Gainesville, FL | Gainesville pay in Fort Wayne dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,800 | $56,430 | $54,003 (−9.7%) |
| Software Developers | $101,560 | $122,950 | $117,661 (+15.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,250 | $75,820 | $72,559 (−3.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,630 | $81,870 | $78,348 (−1.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.