City comparison
Fort Wayne, IN vs Tulsa, OK
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Fort Wayne, IN are 3.8% higher than in Tulsa, OK. Someone earning $100,000 in Tulsa, OK would need about $103,800 in Fort Wayne, IN to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $987 a month in Tulsa, OK versus $916 in Fort Wayne, IN. On $100,000, that's 16% of take-home pay in Tulsa, OK and 14% in Fort Wayne, IN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,034 a year higher in Tulsa, OK 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 Tulsa, OK changes real buying power by +3.8%, purely from prices.
- Fort Wayne, IN: price level 92.6 (cheaper)
- Tulsa, OK: price level 89.2 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fort Wayne, IN | Tulsa, OK | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.6 | 89.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,373 in Tulsa | $103,764 in Fort Wayne |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $916/mo | $987/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,260 | $75,226 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,921 (IN) | $3,955 (OK) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,700 | $46,670 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Fort Wayne, IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Tulsa, OK HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Fort Wayne, IN and Tulsa, OK.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fort Wayne | Tulsa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.3 | 68.2 |
| Goods | 94.3 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 86.2 | 73.9 |
| Other services | 99.1 | 95.5 |
| Overall | 92.6 | 89.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fort Wayne, IN → Tulsa, OK
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.8%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$1,034/yr.
81 Strong offer
Tulsa, OK → Fort Wayne, IN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.6%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$1,034/yr.
57 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 Tulsa, OK at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fort Wayne, IN | Tulsa, OK | Real change, Fort Wayne → Tulsa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +3.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +3.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +3.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +3.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +3.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fort Wayne, IN | Tulsa, OK | Tulsa pay in Fort Wayne dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,800 | $48,220 | $50,035 (−16.3%) |
| Software Developers | $101,560 | $108,730 | $112,823 (+11.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,250 | $81,320 | $84,381 (+12.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,630 | $84,790 | $87,981 (+10.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.