City comparison
Clarksville, TN vs Fort Wayne, IN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Fort Wayne, IN are 1.8% higher than in Clarksville, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Clarksville, TN would need about $101,800 in Fort Wayne, IN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,094 a month in Clarksville, TN versus $916 in Fort Wayne, IN. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Clarksville, TN 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 Clarksville, TN.
- 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 Clarksville, TN to Fort Wayne, IN changes real buying power by −1.8%, purely from prices.
- Clarksville, TN: price level 90.9 (much cheaper)
- Fort Wayne, IN: price level 92.6 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Clarksville, TN | Fort Wayne, IN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.9 | 92.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,787 in Fort Wayne | $98,245 in Clarksville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,094/mo | $916/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $2,921 (IN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,860 | $47,700 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Clarksville, TN-KY HUD Metro FMR Area and Fort Wayne, IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Clarksville, TN-KY and Fort Wayne, IN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Clarksville | Fort Wayne |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 73.8 | 72.3 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 94.3 |
| Utilities | 72.5 | 86.2 |
| Other services | 95.5 | 99.1 |
| Overall | 90.9 | 92.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Clarksville, TN → Fort Wayne, IN
Roughly even
Buying power −1.8%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$2,921/yr.
63 Fair offer
Fort Wayne, IN → Clarksville, TN
Roughly even
Buying power +1.8%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$2,921/yr.
74 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 Clarksville, TN to Fort Wayne, IN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Clarksville, TN | Fort Wayne, IN | Real change, Clarksville → Fort Wayne |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −1.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −1.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −1.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −1.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −1.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Clarksville, TN | Fort Wayne, IN | Fort Wayne pay in Clarksville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,760 | $59,800 | $58,750 (−1.7%) |
| Software Developers | $96,650 | $101,560 | $99,777 (+3.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $72,760 | $75,250 | $73,929 (+1.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,450 | $79,630 | $78,232 (−1.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.