City comparison
Fort Wayne, IN vs Houston, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Houston, TX are 6.5% higher than in Fort Wayne, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in Fort Wayne, IN would need about $106,500 in Houston, TX to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,323 a month in Houston, TX versus $916 in Fort Wayne, IN. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Houston, TX 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 Houston, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +15.3% moving from Fort Wayne, IN to Houston, TX ($106,437 → $122,749), while prices change by +6.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.2% in real buying power.
- Fort Wayne, IN: price level 92.6 (cheaper)
- Houston, TX: price level 98.6 (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 | Houston, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.6 | 98.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,543 in Houston | $93,859 in Fort Wayne |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $916/mo | $1,323/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,260 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,921 (IN) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,700 | $49,410 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Houston-The Woodlands, TX |
Rent areas: Fort Wayne, IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Fort Wayne, IN and Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fort Wayne | Houston |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.3 | 104.5 |
| Goods | 94.3 | 100.6 |
| Utilities | 86.2 | 95.3 |
| Other services | 99.1 | 95.6 |
| Overall | 92.6 | 98.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fort Wayne, IN → Houston, TX
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.1%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$2,921/yr.
50 Fair offer
Houston, TX → Fort Wayne, IN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.5%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$2,921/yr.
89 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fort Wayne, IN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Houston, TX is in Houston-The Woodlands, TX. The last column shows what a transfer from Fort Wayne, IN to Houston, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fort Wayne, IN | Houston, TX | Real change, Fort Wayne → Houston |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $71,181 | +8.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $86,123 | +8.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $103,225 | +8.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $122,749 | +8.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $145,052 | +8.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fort Wayne, IN | Houston, TX | Houston pay in Fort Wayne dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,800 | $64,500 | $60,539 (+1.2%) |
| Software Developers | $101,560 | $129,440 | $121,491 (+19.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,250 | $85,090 | $79,864 (+6.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,630 | $99,830 | $93,699 (+17.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.