City comparison
Fort Wayne, IN vs Kansas City, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Fort Wayne, IN (92.6) and Kansas City, MO (92.5, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Fort Wayne, IN goes as far as $100,000 in Kansas City, MO.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,197 a month in Kansas City, MO versus $916 in Fort Wayne, IN. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Kansas City, MO and 14% in Fort Wayne, IN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $842 a year higher in Kansas City, MO than in Fort Wayne, IN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.6% moving from Fort Wayne, IN to Kansas City, MO ($106,437 → $108,173), while prices change by −0.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.7% in real buying power.
- Fort Wayne, IN: price level 92.6 (cheaper)
- Kansas City, MO: price level 92.5 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fort Wayne, IN | Kansas City, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.6 | 92.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,969 in Kansas City | $100,031 in Fort Wayne |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $916/mo | $1,197/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,260 | $75,417 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,921 (IN) | $3,763 (MO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,700 | $50,820 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS |
Rent areas: Fort Wayne, IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Kansas City, MO-KS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Fort Wayne, IN and Kansas City, MO-KS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fort Wayne | Kansas City |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.3 | 86.6 |
| Goods | 94.3 | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 86.2 | 89.0 |
| Other services | 99.1 | 93.4 |
| Overall | 92.6 | 92.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fort Wayne, IN → Kansas City, MO
Roughly even
Buying power +0.0%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$842/yr.
69 Fair offer
Kansas City, MO → Fort Wayne, IN
Roughly even
Buying power −0.0%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$842/yr.
69 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fort Wayne, IN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Kansas City, MO is in Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS. The last column shows what a transfer from Fort Wayne, IN to Kansas City, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fort Wayne, IN | Kansas City, MO | Real change, Fort Wayne → Kansas City |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,729 | +1.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,897 | +1.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,968 | +1.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $108,173 | +1.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $127,829 | +1.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fort Wayne, IN | Kansas City, MO | Kansas City pay in Fort Wayne dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,800 | $61,060 | $61,079 (+2.1%) |
| Software Developers | $101,560 | $124,990 | $125,029 (+23.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,250 | $80,040 | $80,065 (+6.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,630 | $83,040 | $83,066 (+4.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.