City comparison
Fort Wayne, IN vs Olympia, WA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Olympia, WA are 12.0% higher than in Fort Wayne, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in Fort Wayne, IN would need about $112,000 in Olympia, WA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,682 a month in Olympia, WA versus $916 in Fort Wayne, IN. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Olympia, WA 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 Olympia, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.4% moving from Fort Wayne, IN to Olympia, WA ($106,437 → $119,630), while prices change by +12.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.4% in real buying power.
- Fort Wayne, IN: price level 92.6 (cheaper)
- Olympia, WA: price level 103.7 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fort Wayne, IN | Olympia, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.6 | 103.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $111,989 in Olympia | $89,295 in Fort Wayne |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $916/mo | $1,682/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,260 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,921 (IN) | $0 (WA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,700 | $61,960 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Seattle-Tacoma, WA |
Rent areas: Fort Wayne, IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA MSA. Metro areas: Fort Wayne, IN and Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fort Wayne | Olympia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.3 | 116.7 |
| Goods | 94.3 | 105.0 |
| Utilities | 86.2 | 91.7 |
| Other services | 99.1 | 99.5 |
| Overall | 92.6 | 103.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fort Wayne, IN → Olympia, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.7%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$2,921/yr.
37 Weak offer
Olympia, WA → Fort Wayne, IN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.0%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$2,921/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fort Wayne, IN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Olympia, WA is in Seattle-Tacoma, WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Fort Wayne, IN to Olympia, WA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fort Wayne, IN | Olympia, WA | Real change, Fort Wayne → Olympia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,373 | +0.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $83,935 | +0.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $100,602 | +0.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $119,630 | +0.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $141,367 | +0.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fort Wayne, IN | Olympia, WA | Olympia pay in Fort Wayne dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,800 | $104,650 | $93,447 (+56.3%) |
| Software Developers | $101,560 | $124,060 | $110,779 (+9.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,250 | $94,470 | $84,357 (+12.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,630 | $125,020 | $111,636 (+40.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.