City comparison
Fort Wayne, IN vs Providence, RI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Providence, RI are 9.9% higher than in Fort Wayne, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in Fort Wayne, IN would need about $109,900 in Providence, RI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,402 a month in Providence, RI versus $916 in Fort Wayne, IN. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Providence, RI and 14% in Fort Wayne, IN.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $2,921 a year in IN and $3,148 in RI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +13.3% moving from Fort Wayne, IN to Providence, RI ($106,437 → $120,548), while prices change by +9.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.0% in real buying power.
- Fort Wayne, IN: price level 92.6 (cheaper)
- Providence, RI: price level 101.8 (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 | Providence, RI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.6 | 101.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $109,939 in Providence | $90,959 in Fort Wayne |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $916/mo | $1,402/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,260 | $76,032 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,921 (IN) | $3,148 (RI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,700 | $53,680 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Fort Wayne, IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Providence-Fall River, RI-MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Fort Wayne, IN and Providence-Warwick, RI-MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fort Wayne | Providence |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.3 | 103.9 |
| Goods | 94.3 | 97.1 |
| Utilities | 86.2 | 148.8 |
| Other services | 99.1 | 102.3 |
| Overall | 92.6 | 101.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fort Wayne, IN → Providence, RI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.0%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$228/yr.
40 Weak offer
Providence, RI → Fort Wayne, IN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.9%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$228/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fort Wayne, IN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Providence, RI is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Fort Wayne, IN to Providence, RI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fort Wayne, IN | Providence, RI | Real change, Fort Wayne → Providence |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,905 | +3.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,579 | +3.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $101,375 | +3.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,548 | +3.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $142,452 | +3.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fort Wayne, IN | Providence, RI | Providence pay in Fort Wayne dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,800 | $86,720 | $78,880 (+31.9%) |
| Software Developers | $101,560 | $130,690 | $118,875 (+17.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,250 | $95,020 | $86,430 (+14.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,630 | $99,880 | $90,850 (+14.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.