City comparison
Fort Wayne, IN vs Kennewick, WA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Kennewick, WA are 8.1% higher than in Fort Wayne, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in Fort Wayne, IN would need about $108,100 in Kennewick, WA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,268 a month in Kennewick, WA versus $916 in Fort Wayne, IN. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Kennewick, WA 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 Kennewick, WA.
- 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 Kennewick, WA changes real buying power by −7.5%, purely from prices.
- Fort Wayne, IN: price level 92.6 (cheaper)
- Kennewick, WA: price level 100.1 (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 | Kennewick, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.6 | 100.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $108,109 in Kennewick | $92,499 in Fort Wayne |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $916/mo | $1,268/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,260 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,921 (IN) | $0 (WA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,700 | $57,290 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Fort Wayne, IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Kennewick-Richland, WA MSA. Metro areas: Fort Wayne, IN and Kennewick-Richland, WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fort Wayne | Kennewick |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.3 | 94.8 |
| Goods | 94.3 | 105.0 |
| Utilities | 86.2 | 93.6 |
| Other services | 99.1 | 99.5 |
| Overall | 92.6 | 100.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fort Wayne, IN → Kennewick, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.5%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$2,921/yr.
45 Fair offer
Kennewick, WA → Fort Wayne, IN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.1%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$2,921/yr.
94 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 Kennewick, WA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fort Wayne, IN | Kennewick, WA | Real change, Fort Wayne → Kennewick |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −7.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −7.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −7.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −7.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −7.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fort Wayne, IN | Kennewick, WA | Kennewick pay in Fort Wayne dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,800 | $100,380 | $92,850 (+55.3%) |
| Software Developers | $101,560 | $127,800 | $118,214 (+16.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,250 | $93,280 | $86,283 (+14.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,630 | $106,410 | $98,428 (+23.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.