City comparison
Fort Wayne, IN vs Minneapolis, MN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Minneapolis, MN are 13.2% higher than in Fort Wayne, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in Fort Wayne, IN would need about $113,200 in Minneapolis, MN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,405 a month in Minneapolis, MN versus $916 in Fort Wayne, IN. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Minneapolis, MN and 14% in Fort Wayne, IN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,356 a year higher in Minneapolis, MN than in Fort Wayne, IN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +9.0% moving from Fort Wayne, IN to Minneapolis, MN ($106,437 → $116,038), while prices change by +13.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.7% in real buying power.
- Fort Wayne, IN: price level 92.6 (cheaper)
- Minneapolis, MN: price level 104.8 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fort Wayne, IN | Minneapolis, MN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.6 | 104.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $113,233 in Minneapolis | $88,314 in Fort Wayne |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $916/mo | $1,405/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,260 | $73,903 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,921 (IN) | $5,277 (MN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,700 | $59,320 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI |
Rent areas: Fort Wayne, IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Fort Wayne, IN and Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fort Wayne | Minneapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.3 | 111.8 |
| Goods | 94.3 | 103.1 |
| Utilities | 86.2 | 93.5 |
| Other services | 99.1 | 104.4 |
| Overall | 92.6 | 104.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fort Wayne, IN → Minneapolis, MN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.7%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$2,356/yr.
38 Weak offer
Minneapolis, MN → Fort Wayne, IN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +13.2%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$2,356/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fort Wayne, IN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Minneapolis, MN is in Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Fort Wayne, IN to Minneapolis, MN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fort Wayne, IN | Minneapolis, MN | Real change, Fort Wayne → Minneapolis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $67,290 | −3.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $81,415 | −3.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $97,582 | −3.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $116,038 | −3.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $137,123 | −3.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fort Wayne, IN | Minneapolis, MN | Minneapolis pay in Fort Wayne dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,800 | $79,730 | $70,412 (+17.7%) |
| Software Developers | $101,560 | $130,920 | $115,620 (+13.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,250 | $86,500 | $76,391 (+1.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,630 | $103,040 | $90,998 (+14.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.