City comparison
Fort Wayne, IN vs Pensacola, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Pensacola, FL are 5.6% higher than in Fort Wayne, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in Fort Wayne, IN would need about $105,600 in Pensacola, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,257 a month in Pensacola, FL versus $916 in Fort Wayne, IN. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Pensacola, FL 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 Pensacola, FL.
- 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 Pensacola, FL changes real buying power by −5.3%, purely from prices.
- Fort Wayne, IN: price level 92.6 (cheaper)
- Pensacola, FL: price level 97.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fort Wayne, IN | Pensacola, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.6 | 97.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,558 in Pensacola | $94,735 in Fort Wayne |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $916/mo | $1,257/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,260 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,921 (IN) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,700 | $46,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Fort Wayne, IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL MSA. Metro areas: Fort Wayne, IN and Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fort Wayne | Pensacola |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.3 | 98.8 |
| Goods | 94.3 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 86.2 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 99.1 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 92.6 | 97.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fort Wayne, IN → Pensacola, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.3%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$2,921/yr.
52 Fair offer
Pensacola, FL → Fort Wayne, IN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.6%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$2,921/yr.
86 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 Pensacola, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fort Wayne, IN | Pensacola, FL | Real change, Fort Wayne → Pensacola |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −5.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −5.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −5.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −5.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −5.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fort Wayne, IN | Pensacola, FL | Pensacola pay in Fort Wayne dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,800 | $50,360 | $47,708 (−20.2%) |
| Software Developers | $101,560 | $108,430 | $102,721 (+1.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,250 | $76,410 | $72,387 (−3.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,630 | $77,890 | $73,789 (−7.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.