City comparison
Fort Wayne, IN vs South Bend, IN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Fort Wayne, IN (92.6) and South Bend, IN (92.9, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Fort Wayne, IN goes as far as $100,300 in South Bend, IN.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,105 a month in South Bend, IN versus $916 in Fort Wayne, IN. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in South Bend, IN and 14% in Fort Wayne, IN.
- Both are in IN, so estimated state income tax is the same: $2,921 a year on $100,000.
- 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 South Bend, IN changes real buying power by −0.3%, purely from prices.
- Fort Wayne, IN: price level 92.6 (cheaper)
- South Bend, IN: price level 92.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fort Wayne, IN | South Bend, IN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.6 | 92.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,309 in South Bend | $99,692 in Fort Wayne |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $916/mo | $1,105/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,260 | $76,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,921 (IN) | $2,921 (IN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,700 | $46,540 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Fort Wayne, IN HUD Metro FMR Area and South Bend-Mishawaka, IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Fort Wayne, IN and South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fort Wayne | South Bend |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.3 | 74.6 |
| Goods | 94.3 | 94.2 |
| Utilities | 86.2 | 87.7 |
| Other services | 99.1 | 99.2 |
| Overall | 92.6 | 92.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fort Wayne, IN → South Bend, IN
Roughly even
Buying power −0.3%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
68 Fair offer
South Bend, IN → Fort Wayne, IN
Roughly even
Buying power +0.3%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
70 Fair 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 South Bend, IN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fort Wayne, IN | South Bend, IN | Real change, Fort Wayne → South Bend |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −0.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −0.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −0.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −0.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −0.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fort Wayne, IN | South Bend, IN | South Bend pay in Fort Wayne dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,800 | $58,180 | $58,001 (−3.0%) |
| Software Developers | $101,560 | $95,500 | $95,206 (−6.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,250 | $77,940 | $77,700 (+3.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,630 | $93,540 | $93,252 (+17.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.