City comparison
Fort Wayne, IN vs Spokane, WA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Spokane, WA are 8.4% higher than in Fort Wayne, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in Fort Wayne, IN would need about $108,400 in Spokane, WA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,193 a month in Spokane, WA versus $916 in Fort Wayne, IN. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Spokane, WA and 14% in Fort Wayne, IN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,921 a year higher in Fort Wayne, IN than in Spokane, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.5% moving from Fort Wayne, IN to Spokane, WA ($106,437 → $106,991), while prices change by +8.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −7.3% in real buying power.
- Fort Wayne, IN: price level 92.6 (cheaper)
- Spokane, WA: price level 100.3 (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 | Spokane, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.6 | 100.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $108,398 in Spokane | $92,253 in Fort Wayne |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $916/mo | $1,193/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,260 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,921 (IN) | $0 (WA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,700 | $54,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene, WA-ID |
Rent areas: Fort Wayne, IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Spokane, WA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Fort Wayne, IN and Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fort Wayne | Spokane |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.3 | 97.1 |
| Goods | 94.3 | 105.0 |
| Utilities | 86.2 | 91.2 |
| Other services | 99.1 | 99.5 |
| Overall | 92.6 | 100.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fort Wayne, IN → Spokane, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.7%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$2,921/yr.
45 Weak offer
Spokane, WA → Fort Wayne, IN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.4%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$2,921/yr.
95 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fort Wayne, IN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Spokane, WA is in Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene, WA-ID. The last column shows what a transfer from Fort Wayne, IN to Spokane, WA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fort Wayne, IN | Spokane, WA | Real change, Fort Wayne → Spokane |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,044 | −7.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,068 | −7.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,974 | −7.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,991 | −7.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $126,432 | −7.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fort Wayne, IN | Spokane, WA | Spokane pay in Fort Wayne dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,800 | $98,800 | $91,146 (+52.4%) |
| Software Developers | $101,560 | $130,690 | $120,565 (+18.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,250 | $86,350 | $79,660 (+5.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,630 | $111,750 | $103,093 (+29.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.