City comparison
Fort Wayne, IN vs Reno, NV
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Reno, NV are 9.1% higher than in Fort Wayne, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in Fort Wayne, IN would need about $109,100 in Reno, NV to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,489 a month in Reno, NV versus $916 in Fort Wayne, IN. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Reno, NV 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 Reno, NV.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.4% moving from Fort Wayne, IN to Reno, NV ($106,437 → $106,855), while prices change by +9.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −8.0% in real buying power.
- Fort Wayne, IN: price level 92.6 (cheaper)
- Reno, NV: price level 101.0 (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 | Reno, NV | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.6 | 101.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $109,119 in Reno | $91,643 in Fort Wayne |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $916/mo | $1,489/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,260 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,921 (IN) | $0 (NV) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,700 | $49,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Reno-Fernley, NV |
Rent areas: Fort Wayne, IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Reno, NV HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Fort Wayne, IN and Reno, NV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fort Wayne | Reno |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.3 | 123.5 |
| Goods | 94.3 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 86.2 | 89.3 |
| Other services | 99.1 | 98.7 |
| Overall | 92.6 | 101.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fort Wayne, IN → Reno, NV
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.4%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$2,921/yr.
43 Weak offer
Reno, NV → Fort Wayne, IN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.1%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$2,921/yr.
97 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fort Wayne, IN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Reno, NV is in Reno-Fernley, NV. The last column shows what a transfer from Fort Wayne, IN to Reno, NV at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fort Wayne, IN | Reno, NV | Real change, Fort Wayne → Reno |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,965 | −8.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,972 | −8.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,859 | −8.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,855 | −8.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $126,271 | −8.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fort Wayne, IN | Reno, NV | Reno pay in Fort Wayne dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,800 | $62,430 | $57,213 (−4.3%) |
| Software Developers | $101,560 | $125,710 | $115,204 (+13.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,250 | $82,370 | $75,486 (+0.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,630 | $107,520 | $98,534 (+23.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.