City comparison
Fort Wayne, IN vs Port St. Lucie, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Port St. Lucie, FL are 8.3% higher than in Fort Wayne, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in Fort Wayne, IN would need about $108,300 in Port St. Lucie, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,467 a month in Port St. Lucie, FL versus $916 in Fort Wayne, IN. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Port St. Lucie, 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 Port St. Lucie, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +6.5% moving from Fort Wayne, IN to Port St. Lucie, FL ($106,437 → $113,356), while prices change by +8.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.6% in real buying power.
- Fort Wayne, IN: price level 92.6 (cheaper)
- Port St. Lucie, FL: price level 100.2 (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 | Port St. Lucie, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.6 | 100.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $108,270 in Port St. Lucie | $92,361 in Fort Wayne |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $916/mo | $1,467/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% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,700 | $46,490 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL |
Rent areas: Fort Wayne, IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Port St. Lucie, FL MSA. Metro areas: Fort Wayne, IN and Port St. Lucie, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fort Wayne | Port St. Lucie |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.3 | 113.6 |
| Goods | 94.3 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 86.2 | 87.0 |
| Other services | 99.1 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 92.6 | 100.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fort Wayne, IN → Port St. Lucie, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.6%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$2,921/yr.
45 Weak offer
Port St. Lucie, FL → Fort Wayne, IN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.3%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$2,921/yr.
95 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fort Wayne, IN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Port St. Lucie, FL is in Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL. The last column shows what a transfer from Fort Wayne, IN to Port St. Lucie, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fort Wayne, IN | Port St. Lucie, FL | Real change, Fort Wayne → Port St. Lucie |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $65,735 | −1.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $79,533 | −1.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $95,326 | −1.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $113,356 | −1.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $133,953 | −1.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fort Wayne, IN | Port St. Lucie, FL | Port St. Lucie pay in Fort Wayne dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,800 | $53,610 | $49,515 (−17.2%) |
| Software Developers | $101,560 | $128,510 | $118,694 (+16.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,250 | $79,430 | $73,363 (−2.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,630 | $82,090 | $75,819 (−4.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.