City comparison
Fort Wayne, IN vs Omaha, NE
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 Omaha, NE (91.9, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Fort Wayne, IN goes as far as $99,300 in Omaha, NE.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,148 a month in Omaha, NE versus $916 in Fort Wayne, IN. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Omaha, NE and 14% in Fort Wayne, IN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $750 a year higher in Omaha, NE than in Fort Wayne, IN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.0% moving from Fort Wayne, IN to Omaha, NE ($106,437 → $107,501), while prices change by −0.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.7% in real buying power.
- Fort Wayne, IN: price level 92.6 (cheaper)
- Omaha, NE: price level 91.9 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fort Wayne, IN | Omaha, NE | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.6 | 91.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,286 in Omaha | $100,719 in Fort Wayne |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $916/mo | $1,148/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,260 | $75,510 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,921 (IN) | $3,670 (NE) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,700 | $49,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA |
Rent areas: Fort Wayne, IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Fort Wayne, IN and Omaha, NE-IA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fort Wayne | Omaha |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.3 | 86.4 |
| Goods | 94.3 | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 86.2 | 76.4 |
| Other services | 99.1 | 93.0 |
| Overall | 92.6 | 91.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fort Wayne, IN → Omaha, NE
Roughly even
Buying power +0.7%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$750/yr.
71 Strong offer
Omaha, NE → Fort Wayne, IN
Roughly even
Buying power −0.7%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$750/yr.
67 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fort Wayne, IN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Omaha, NE is in Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA. The last column shows what a transfer from Fort Wayne, IN to Omaha, NE at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fort Wayne, IN | Omaha, NE | Real change, Fort Wayne → Omaha |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,339 | +1.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,425 | +1.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,402 | +1.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $107,501 | +1.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $127,033 | +1.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fort Wayne, IN | Omaha, NE | Omaha pay in Fort Wayne dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,800 | $62,670 | $63,121 (+5.6%) |
| Software Developers | $101,560 | $125,220 | $126,121 (+24.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,250 | $77,030 | $77,584 (+3.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,630 | $84,600 | $85,208 (+7.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.