City comparison
Fort Wayne, IN vs Reading, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Reading, PA are 4.8% higher than in Fort Wayne, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in Fort Wayne, IN would need about $104,800 in Reading, PA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,237 a month in Reading, PA versus $916 in Fort Wayne, IN. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Reading, PA and 14% in Fort Wayne, IN.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $2,921 a year in IN and $3,070 in PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +10.2% moving from Fort Wayne, IN to Reading, PA ($106,437 → $117,284), while prices change by +4.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.1% in real buying power.
- Fort Wayne, IN: price level 92.6 (cheaper)
- Reading, PA: price level 97.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fort Wayne, IN | Reading, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.6 | 97.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,848 in Reading | $95,376 in Fort Wayne |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $916/mo | $1,237/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,260 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,921 (IN) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,700 | $49,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD |
Rent areas: Fort Wayne, IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Reading, PA MSA. Metro areas: Fort Wayne, IN and Reading, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fort Wayne | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.3 | 85.4 |
| Goods | 94.3 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 86.2 | 108.2 |
| Other services | 99.1 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 92.6 | 97.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fort Wayne, IN → Reading, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.6%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$150/yr.
54 Fair offer
Reading, PA → Fort Wayne, IN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.8%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$150/yr.
84 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fort Wayne, IN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Reading, PA is in Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD. The last column shows what a transfer from Fort Wayne, IN to Reading, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fort Wayne, IN | Reading, PA | Real change, Fort Wayne → Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $68,013 | +5.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $82,289 | +5.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $98,630 | +5.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $117,284 | +5.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $138,595 | +5.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fort Wayne, IN | Reading, PA | Reading pay in Fort Wayne dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,800 | $79,860 | $76,167 (+27.4%) |
| Software Developers | $101,560 | $120,920 | $115,329 (+13.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,250 | $75,550 | $72,057 (−4.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,630 | $98,470 | $93,917 (+17.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.