City comparison
Fort Wayne, IN vs Grand Rapids, MI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Grand Rapids, MI are 3.2% higher than in Fort Wayne, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in Fort Wayne, IN would need about $103,200 in Grand Rapids, MI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,278 a month in Grand Rapids, MI versus $916 in Fort Wayne, IN. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Grand Rapids, MI and 14% in Fort Wayne, IN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,079 a year higher in Grand Rapids, MI 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 Grand Rapids, MI changes real buying power by −3.1%, purely from prices.
- Fort Wayne, IN: price level 92.6 (cheaper)
- Grand Rapids, MI: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fort Wayne, IN | Grand Rapids, MI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.6 | 95.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,213 in Grand Rapids | $96,887 in Fort Wayne |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $916/mo | $1,278/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,260 | $75,181 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,921 (IN) | $3,999 (MI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,700 | $47,570 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Fort Wayne, IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Fort Wayne, IN and Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fort Wayne | Grand Rapids |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.3 | 86.6 |
| Goods | 94.3 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 86.2 | 93.8 |
| Other services | 99.1 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 92.6 | 95.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fort Wayne, IN → Grand Rapids, MI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.1%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$1,079/yr.
59 Fair offer
Grand Rapids, MI → Fort Wayne, IN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.2%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$1,079/yr.
79 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 Fort Wayne, IN to Grand Rapids, MI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fort Wayne, IN | Grand Rapids, MI | Real change, Fort Wayne → Grand Rapids |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −3.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −3.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −3.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −3.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −3.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fort Wayne, IN | Grand Rapids, MI | Grand Rapids pay in Fort Wayne dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,800 | $61,900 | $59,973 (+0.3%) |
| Software Developers | $101,560 | $107,520 | $104,173 (+2.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,250 | $76,270 | $73,896 (−1.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,630 | $83,920 | $81,308 (+2.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.