City comparison
Fort Wayne, IN vs Portland, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, OR are 13.9% higher than in Fort Wayne, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in Fort Wayne, IN would need about $113,900 in Portland, OR to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,677 a month in Portland, OR versus $916 in Fort Wayne, IN. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Portland, OR and 14% in Fort Wayne, IN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,000 a year higher in Portland, OR than in Fort Wayne, IN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +7.7% moving from Fort Wayne, IN to Portland, OR ($106,437 → $114,684), while prices change by +13.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.4% in real buying power.
- Fort Wayne, IN: price level 92.6 (cheaper)
- Portland, OR: price level 105.4 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fort Wayne, IN | Portland, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.6 | 105.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $113,880 in Portland | $87,812 in Fort Wayne |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $916/mo | $1,677/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,260 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,921 (IN) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 28% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,700 | $60,690 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Fort Wayne, IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA MSA. Metro areas: Fort Wayne, IN and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fort Wayne | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.3 | 125.1 |
| Goods | 94.3 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 86.2 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 99.1 | 100.1 |
| Overall | 92.6 | 105.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fort Wayne, IN → Portland, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.2%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$5,000/yr.
33 Weak offer
Portland, OR → Fort Wayne, IN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +13.9%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$5,000/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fort Wayne, IN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Portland, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Fort Wayne, IN to Portland, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fort Wayne, IN | Portland, OR | Real change, Fort Wayne → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $66,505 | −5.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $80,465 | −5.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $96,443 | −5.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $114,684 | −5.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $135,522 | −5.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fort Wayne, IN | Portland, OR | Portland pay in Fort Wayne dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,800 | $82,330 | $72,295 (+20.9%) |
| Software Developers | $101,560 | $156,000 | $136,986 (+34.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,250 | $92,200 | $80,962 (+7.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,630 | $130,310 | $114,427 (+43.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.