City comparison
Fort Wayne, IN vs San Diego, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in San Diego, CA are 20.9% higher than in Fort Wayne, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in Fort Wayne, IN would need about $120,900 in San Diego, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,459 a month in San Diego, CA versus $916 in Fort Wayne, IN. On $100,000, that's 40% of take-home pay in San Diego, CA and 14% in Fort Wayne, IN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,150 a year higher in San Diego, CA than in Fort Wayne, IN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +14.2% moving from Fort Wayne, IN to San Diego, CA ($106,437 → $121,585), while prices change by +20.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.5% in real buying power.
- Fort Wayne, IN: price level 92.6 (cheaper)
- San Diego, CA: price level 111.9 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fort Wayne, IN | San Diego, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.6 | 111.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $120,865 in San Diego | $82,737 in Fort Wayne |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $916/mo | $2,459/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,260 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,921 (IN) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 40% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,700 | $58,690 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA |
Rent areas: Fort Wayne, IN HUD Metro FMR Area and San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA MSA. Metro areas: Fort Wayne, IN and San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fort Wayne | San Diego |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.3 | 179.3 |
| Goods | 94.3 | 108.0 |
| Utilities | 86.2 | 174.2 |
| Other services | 99.1 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 92.6 | 111.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fort Wayne, IN → San Diego, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −17.3%; rent takes 40% of take-home; state tax +$2,150/yr.
15 Weak offer
San Diego, CA → Fort Wayne, IN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +20.9%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$2,150/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fort Wayne, IN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; San Diego, CA is in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Fort Wayne, IN to San Diego, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fort Wayne, IN | San Diego, CA | Real change, Fort Wayne → San Diego |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $70,507 | −5.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $85,307 | −5.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $102,246 | −5.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $121,585 | −5.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $143,677 | −5.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fort Wayne, IN | San Diego, CA | San Diego pay in Fort Wayne dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,800 | $97,000 | $80,255 (+34.2%) |
| Software Developers | $101,560 | $163,270 | $135,085 (+33.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,250 | $96,340 | $79,709 (+5.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,630 | $139,520 | $115,435 (+45.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.