City comparison
Fort Wayne, IN vs Ogden, UT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Ogden, UT are 8.4% higher than in Fort Wayne, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in Fort Wayne, IN would need about $108,400 in Ogden, UT to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,281 a month in Ogden, UT versus $916 in Fort Wayne, IN. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Ogden, UT and 14% in Fort Wayne, IN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $614 a year higher in Ogden, UT 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 Ogden, UT changes real buying power by −7.7%, purely from prices.
- Fort Wayne, IN: price level 92.6 (cheaper)
- Ogden, UT: price level 100.3 (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 | Ogden, UT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.6 | 100.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $108,401 in Ogden | $92,250 in Fort Wayne |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $916/mo | $1,281/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,260 | $75,646 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,921 (IN) | $3,534 (UT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,700 | $48,900 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Fort Wayne, IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Ogden, UT MSA. Metro areas: Fort Wayne, IN and Ogden, UT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fort Wayne | Ogden |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.3 | 117.9 |
| Goods | 94.3 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 86.2 | 78.8 |
| Other services | 99.1 | 99.0 |
| Overall | 92.6 | 100.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fort Wayne, IN → Ogden, UT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.7%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$614/yr.
45 Weak offer
Ogden, UT → Fort Wayne, IN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.4%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$614/yr.
95 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 Ogden, UT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fort Wayne, IN | Ogden, UT | Real change, Fort Wayne → Ogden |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −7.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −7.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −7.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −7.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −7.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fort Wayne, IN | Ogden, UT | Ogden pay in Fort Wayne dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,800 | $63,910 | $58,957 (−1.4%) |
| Software Developers | $101,560 | $109,880 | $101,364 (−0.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,250 | $82,010 | $75,654 (+0.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,630 | $81,840 | $75,497 (−5.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.