City comparison
Fort Wayne, IN vs Salt Lake City, UT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salt Lake City, UT are 9.0% higher than in Fort Wayne, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in Fort Wayne, IN would need about $109,000 in Salt Lake City, UT to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,456 a month in Salt Lake City, UT versus $916 in Fort Wayne, IN. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Salt Lake City, UT and 14% in Fort Wayne, IN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $614 a year higher in Salt Lake City, UT than in Fort Wayne, IN.
- 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 Salt Lake City, UT changes real buying power by −8.2%, purely from prices.
- Fort Wayne, IN: price level 92.6 (cheaper)
- Salt Lake City, UT: price level 100.9 (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 | Salt Lake City, UT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.6 | 100.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $108,962 in Salt Lake City | $91,775 in Fort Wayne |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $916/mo | $1,456/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,260 | $75,646 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,921 (IN) | $3,534 (UT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,700 | $55,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Fort Wayne, IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Salt Lake City, UT HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Fort Wayne, IN and Salt Lake City-Murray, UT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fort Wayne | Salt Lake City |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.3 | 123.3 |
| Goods | 94.3 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 86.2 | 79.0 |
| Other services | 99.1 | 99.0 |
| Overall | 92.6 | 100.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fort Wayne, IN → Salt Lake City, UT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.2%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$614/yr.
43 Weak offer
Salt Lake City, UT → Fort Wayne, IN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.0%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$614/yr.
97 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 Salt Lake City, UT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fort Wayne, IN | Salt Lake City, UT | Real change, Fort Wayne → Salt Lake City |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −8.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −8.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −8.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −8.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −8.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fort Wayne, IN | Salt Lake City, UT | Salt Lake City pay in Fort Wayne dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,800 | $77,920 | $71,511 (+19.6%) |
| Software Developers | $101,560 | $129,600 | $118,941 (+17.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,250 | $82,100 | $75,348 (+0.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,630 | $85,890 | $78,826 (−1.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.