City comparison
Fort Wayne, IN vs Merced, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Merced, CA are 6.2% higher than in Fort Wayne, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in Fort Wayne, IN would need about $106,200 in Merced, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,213 a month in Merced, CA versus $916 in Fort Wayne, IN. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Merced, CA and 14% in Fort Wayne, IN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,150 a year higher in Merced, CA than in Fort Wayne, IN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +25.0% moving from Fort Wayne, IN to Merced, CA ($106,437 → $133,060), while prices change by +6.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +17.8% in real buying power.
- Fort Wayne, IN: price level 92.6 (cheaper)
- Merced, CA: price level 98.3 (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 | Merced, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.6 | 98.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,161 in Merced | $94,197 in Fort Wayne |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $916/mo | $1,213/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,260 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,921 (IN) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,700 | $47,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA |
Rent areas: Fort Wayne, IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Merced, CA MSA. Metro areas: Fort Wayne, IN and Merced, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fort Wayne | Merced |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.3 | 78.6 |
| Goods | 94.3 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 86.2 | 158.3 |
| Other services | 99.1 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 92.6 | 98.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fort Wayne, IN → Merced, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.8%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$2,150/yr.
51 Fair offer
Merced, CA → Fort Wayne, IN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.2%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$2,150/yr.
88 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fort Wayne, IN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Merced, CA is in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Fort Wayne, IN to Merced, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fort Wayne, IN | Merced, CA | Real change, Fort Wayne → Merced |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $77,161 | +17.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $93,358 | +17.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $111,896 | +17.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $133,060 | +17.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $157,236 | +17.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fort Wayne, IN | Merced, CA | Merced pay in Fort Wayne dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,800 | $100,120 | $94,310 (+57.7%) |
| Software Developers | $101,560 | $132,120 | $124,453 (+22.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,250 | $80,420 | $75,753 (+0.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,630 | $131,620 | $123,982 (+55.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.