City comparison
Fort Wayne, IN vs Greeley, CO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Greeley, CO are 8.2% higher than in Fort Wayne, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in Fort Wayne, IN would need about $108,200 in Greeley, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,238 a month in Greeley, CO versus $916 in Fort Wayne, IN. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Greeley, CO and 14% in Fort Wayne, IN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $771 a year higher in Greeley, CO than in Fort Wayne, IN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +11.5% moving from Fort Wayne, IN to Greeley, CO ($106,437 → $118,675), while prices change by +8.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.0% in real buying power.
- Fort Wayne, IN: price level 92.6 (cheaper)
- Greeley, CO: price level 100.2 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fort Wayne, IN | Greeley, CO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.6 | 100.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $108,214 in Greeley | $92,409 in Fort Wayne |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $916/mo | $1,238/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,260 | $75,488 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,921 (IN) | $3,692 (CO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,700 | $55,070 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Denver-Aurora, CO |
Rent areas: Fort Wayne, IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Greeley, CO MSA. Metro areas: Fort Wayne, IN and Greeley, CO.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fort Wayne | Greeley |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.3 | 112.6 |
| Goods | 94.3 | 96.1 |
| Utilities | 86.2 | 82.0 |
| Other services | 99.1 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 92.6 | 100.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fort Wayne, IN → Greeley, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.6%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$771/yr.
45 Fair offer
Greeley, CO → Fort Wayne, IN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.2%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$771/yr.
94 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fort Wayne, IN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Greeley, CO is in Denver-Aurora, CO. The last column shows what a transfer from Fort Wayne, IN to Greeley, CO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fort Wayne, IN | Greeley, CO | Real change, Fort Wayne → Greeley |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $68,819 | +3.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $83,265 | +3.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $99,800 | +3.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $118,675 | +3.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $140,239 | +3.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fort Wayne, IN | Greeley, CO | Greeley pay in Fort Wayne dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,800 | $60,160 | $55,593 (−7.0%) |
| Software Developers | $101,560 | $129,480 | $119,652 (+17.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,250 | $87,240 | $80,618 (+7.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,630 | $96,300 | $88,990 (+11.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.