City comparison
Fort Wayne, IN vs Youngstown, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Fort Wayne, IN are 5.9% higher than in Youngstown, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Youngstown, OH would need about $105,900 in Fort Wayne, IN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $916 a month in Fort Wayne, IN versus $771 in Youngstown, OH. On $100,000, that's 14% of take-home pay in Fort Wayne, IN and 12% in Youngstown, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $953 a year higher in Fort Wayne, IN than in Youngstown, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.4% moving from Fort Wayne, IN to Youngstown, OH ($106,437 → $111,138), while prices change by −5.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +10.6% in real buying power.
- Fort Wayne, IN: price level 92.6 (cheaper)
- Youngstown, OH: price level 87.4 (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 | Youngstown, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.6 | 87.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,407 in Youngstown | $105,925 in Fort Wayne |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $916/mo | $771/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,260 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,921 (IN) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 12% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,700 | $43,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA |
Rent areas: Fort Wayne, IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Youngstown-Warren, OH MSA. Metro areas: Fort Wayne, IN and Youngstown-Warren, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fort Wayne | Youngstown |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.3 | 53.4 |
| Goods | 94.3 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 86.2 | 96.3 |
| Other services | 99.1 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 92.6 | 87.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fort Wayne, IN → Youngstown, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.9%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax −$953/yr.
87 Strong offer
Youngstown, OH → Fort Wayne, IN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.6%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$953/yr.
51 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fort Wayne, IN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Youngstown, OH is in Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Fort Wayne, IN to Youngstown, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fort Wayne, IN | Youngstown, OH | Real change, Fort Wayne → Youngstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,448 | +10.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $77,977 | +10.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,461 | +10.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,138 | +10.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,331 | +10.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fort Wayne, IN | Youngstown, OH | Youngstown pay in Fort Wayne dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,800 | $72,560 | $76,859 (+28.5%) |
| Software Developers | $101,560 | $107,990 | $114,388 (+12.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,250 | $73,080 | $77,410 (+2.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,630 | $78,680 | $83,342 (+4.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.