City comparison
Fort Wayne, IN vs Santa Maria, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Santa Maria, CA are 17.5% higher than in Fort Wayne, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in Fort Wayne, IN would need about $117,500 in Santa Maria, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,746 a month in Santa Maria, CA versus $916 in Fort Wayne, IN. On $100,000, that's 44% of take-home pay in Santa Maria, CA and 14% in Fort Wayne, IN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,150 a year higher in Santa Maria, CA than in Fort Wayne, IN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +16.6% moving from Fort Wayne, IN to Santa Maria, CA ($106,437 → $124,085), while prices change by +17.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.8% in real buying power.
- Fort Wayne, IN: price level 92.6 (cheaper)
- Santa Maria, CA: price level 108.8 (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 | Santa Maria, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.6 | 108.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $117,528 in Santa Maria | $85,086 in Fort Wayne |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $916/mo | $2,746/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% | 44% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,700 | $51,690 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA |
Rent areas: Fort Wayne, IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA MSA. Metro areas: Fort Wayne, IN and Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fort Wayne | Santa Maria |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.3 | 151.4 |
| Goods | 94.3 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 86.2 | 149.8 |
| Other services | 99.1 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 92.6 | 108.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fort Wayne, IN → Santa Maria, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −14.9%; rent takes 44% of take-home; state tax +$2,150/yr.
8 Weak offer
Santa Maria, CA → Fort Wayne, IN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +17.5%; 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; Santa Maria, CA is in Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Fort Wayne, IN to Santa Maria, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fort Wayne, IN | Santa Maria, CA | Real change, Fort Wayne → Santa Maria |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $71,957 | −0.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $87,061 | −0.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $104,349 | −0.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $124,085 | −0.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $146,632 | −0.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fort Wayne, IN | Santa Maria, CA | Santa Maria pay in Fort Wayne dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,800 | $101,030 | $85,963 (+43.8%) |
| Software Developers | $101,560 | $158,290 | $134,683 (+32.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,250 | $91,610 | $77,947 (+3.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,630 | $137,360 | $116,874 (+46.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.