City comparison
Fort Wayne, IN vs Lansing, MI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Lansing, MI are 2.6% higher than in Fort Wayne, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in Fort Wayne, IN would need about $102,600 in Lansing, MI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,012 a month in Lansing, MI versus $916 in Fort Wayne, IN. On $100,000, that's 16% of take-home pay in Lansing, MI and 14% in Fort Wayne, IN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,079 a year higher in Lansing, MI than in Fort Wayne, IN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +10.3% moving from Fort Wayne, IN to Lansing, MI ($106,437 → $117,402), while prices change by +2.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.5% in real buying power.
- Fort Wayne, IN: price level 92.6 (cheaper)
- Lansing, MI: price level 95.0 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fort Wayne, IN | Lansing, MI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.6 | 95.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,613 in Lansing | $97,453 in Fort Wayne |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $916/mo | $1,012/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% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,700 | $52,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI |
Rent areas: Fort Wayne, IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Lansing-East Lansing, MI MSA. Metro areas: Fort Wayne, IN and Lansing-East Lansing, MI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fort Wayne | Lansing |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.3 | 83.5 |
| Goods | 94.3 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 86.2 | 95.5 |
| Other services | 99.1 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 92.6 | 95.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fort Wayne, IN → Lansing, MI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.5%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$1,079/yr.
61 Fair offer
Lansing, MI → Fort Wayne, IN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.6%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$1,079/yr.
77 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fort Wayne, IN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Lansing, MI is in Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI. The last column shows what a transfer from Fort Wayne, IN to Lansing, MI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fort Wayne, IN | Lansing, MI | Real change, Fort Wayne → Lansing |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $68,081 | +7.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $82,372 | +7.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $98,729 | +7.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $117,402 | +7.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $138,734 | +7.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fort Wayne, IN | Lansing, MI | Lansing pay in Fort Wayne dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,800 | $72,930 | $71,073 (+18.9%) |
| Software Developers | $101,560 | $97,120 | $94,647 (−6.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,250 | $79,210 | $77,193 (+2.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,630 | $84,320 | $82,173 (+3.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.