City comparison
Fort Wayne, IN vs Nashville, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Nashville, TN are 4.1% higher than in Fort Wayne, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in Fort Wayne, IN would need about $104,100 in Nashville, TN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,578 a month in Nashville, TN versus $916 in Fort Wayne, IN. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Nashville, 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 Nashville, 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 Fort Wayne, IN to Nashville, TN changes real buying power by −3.9%, purely from prices.
- Fort Wayne, IN: price level 92.6 (cheaper)
- Nashville, TN: price level 96.3 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fort Wayne, IN | Nashville, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.6 | 96.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,068 in Nashville | $96,091 in Fort Wayne |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $916/mo | $1,578/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,260 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,921 (IN) | $0 (TN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,700 | $50,390 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Fort Wayne, IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Fort Wayne, IN and Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fort Wayne | Nashville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.3 | 104.6 |
| Goods | 94.3 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 86.2 | 72.0 |
| Other services | 99.1 | 95.1 |
| Overall | 92.6 | 96.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fort Wayne, IN → Nashville, TN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.9%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$2,921/yr.
57 Fair offer
Nashville, TN → Fort Wayne, IN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.1%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$2,921/yr.
81 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 Nashville, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fort Wayne, IN | Nashville, TN | Real change, Fort Wayne → Nashville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −3.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −3.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −3.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −3.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −3.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fort Wayne, IN | Nashville, TN | Nashville pay in Fort Wayne dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,800 | $61,460 | $59,057 (−1.2%) |
| Software Developers | $101,560 | $126,610 | $121,661 (+19.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,250 | $78,080 | $75,028 (−0.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,630 | $84,040 | $80,755 (+1.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.