City comparison
Fort Wayne, IN vs Lancaster, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Lancaster, PA are 6.1% higher than in Fort Wayne, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in Fort Wayne, IN would need about $106,100 in Lancaster, PA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,220 a month in Lancaster, PA versus $916 in Fort Wayne, IN. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Lancaster, PA and 14% in Fort Wayne, IN.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $2,921 a year in IN and $3,070 in PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.0% moving from Fort Wayne, IN to Lancaster, PA ($106,437 → $108,592), while prices change by +6.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.9% in real buying power.
- Fort Wayne, IN: price level 92.6 (cheaper)
- Lancaster, PA: price level 98.3 (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 | Lancaster, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.6 | 98.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,141 in Lancaster | $94,214 in Fort Wayne |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $916/mo | $1,220/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,260 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,921 (IN) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,700 | $48,210 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Harrisburg-Lebanon, PA |
Rent areas: Fort Wayne, IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Lancaster, PA MSA. Metro areas: Fort Wayne, IN and Lancaster, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fort Wayne | Lancaster |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.3 | 93.8 |
| Goods | 94.3 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 86.2 | 107.3 |
| Other services | 99.1 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 92.6 | 98.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fort Wayne, IN → Lancaster, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.8%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$150/yr.
51 Fair offer
Lancaster, PA → Fort Wayne, IN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.1%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$150/yr.
88 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fort Wayne, IN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Lancaster, PA is in Harrisburg-Lebanon, PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Fort Wayne, IN to Lancaster, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fort Wayne, IN | Lancaster, PA | Real change, Fort Wayne → Lancaster |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,972 | −3.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $76,190 | −3.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $91,320 | −3.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $108,592 | −3.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $128,323 | −3.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fort Wayne, IN | Lancaster, PA | Lancaster pay in Fort Wayne dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,800 | $78,360 | $73,826 (+23.5%) |
| Software Developers | $101,560 | $104,740 | $98,680 (−2.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,250 | $76,110 | $71,706 (−4.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,630 | $89,620 | $84,435 (+6.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.