City comparison
Fort Wayne, IN vs Pittsburgh, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Pittsburgh, PA are 2.3% higher than in Fort Wayne, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in Fort Wayne, IN would need about $102,300 in Pittsburgh, PA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,077 a month in Pittsburgh, PA versus $916 in Fort Wayne, IN. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Pittsburgh, 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 +3.4% moving from Fort Wayne, IN to Pittsburgh, PA ($106,437 → $110,047), while prices change by +2.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.1% in real buying power.
- Fort Wayne, IN: price level 92.6 (cheaper)
- Pittsburgh, PA: price level 94.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fort Wayne, IN | Pittsburgh, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.6 | 94.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,267 in Pittsburgh | $97,783 in Fort Wayne |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $916/mo | $1,077/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% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,700 | $49,650 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV |
Rent areas: Fort Wayne, IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Pittsburgh, PA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Fort Wayne, IN and Pittsburgh, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fort Wayne | Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.3 | 72.0 |
| Goods | 94.3 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 86.2 | 107.7 |
| Other services | 99.1 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 92.6 | 94.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fort Wayne, IN → Pittsburgh, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.2%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$150/yr.
62 Fair offer
Pittsburgh, PA → Fort Wayne, IN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.3%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$150/yr.
76 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fort Wayne, IN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Pittsburgh, PA is in Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV. The last column shows what a transfer from Fort Wayne, IN to Pittsburgh, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fort Wayne, IN | Pittsburgh, PA | Real change, Fort Wayne → Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $63,815 | +1.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $77,211 | +1.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $92,543 | +1.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $110,047 | +1.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $130,042 | +1.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fort Wayne, IN | Pittsburgh, PA | Pittsburgh pay in Fort Wayne dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,800 | $76,550 | $74,853 (+25.2%) |
| Software Developers | $101,560 | $124,500 | $121,740 (+19.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,250 | $76,940 | $75,234 (−0.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,630 | $82,370 | $80,544 (+1.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.