City comparison
Fort Wayne, IN vs Savannah, GA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Savannah, GA are 2.8% higher than in Fort Wayne, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in Fort Wayne, IN would need about $102,800 in Savannah, GA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,533 a month in Savannah, GA versus $916 in Fort Wayne, IN. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Savannah, GA and 14% in Fort Wayne, IN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,647 a year higher in Savannah, GA than in Fort Wayne, IN.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Fort Wayne, IN to Savannah, GA changes real buying power by −2.8%, purely from prices.
- Fort Wayne, IN: price level 92.6 (cheaper)
- Savannah, GA: price level 95.2 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fort Wayne, IN | Savannah, GA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.6 | 95.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,845 in Savannah | $97,233 in Fort Wayne |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $916/mo | $1,533/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,260 | $74,613 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,921 (IN) | $4,567 (GA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,700 | $47,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Fort Wayne, IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Savannah, GA MSA. Metro areas: Fort Wayne, IN and Savannah, GA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fort Wayne | Savannah |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.3 | 86.0 |
| Goods | 94.3 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 86.2 | 88.6 |
| Other services | 99.1 | 98.7 |
| Overall | 92.6 | 95.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fort Wayne, IN → Savannah, GA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.8%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$1,647/yr.
60 Fair offer
Savannah, GA → Fort Wayne, IN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.8%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$1,647/yr.
78 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Fort Wayne, IN to Savannah, GA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fort Wayne, IN | Savannah, GA | Real change, Fort Wayne → Savannah |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −2.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −2.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −2.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −2.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −2.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fort Wayne, IN | Savannah, GA | Savannah pay in Fort Wayne dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,800 | $63,710 | $61,947 (+3.6%) |
| Software Developers | $101,560 | $123,220 | $119,811 (+18.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,250 | $79,790 | $77,583 (+3.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,630 | $86,760 | $84,360 (+5.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.