City comparison
Fort Wayne, IN vs Sioux Falls, SD
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Fort Wayne, IN are 2.1% higher than in Sioux Falls, SD. Someone earning $100,000 in Sioux Falls, SD would need about $102,100 in Fort Wayne, IN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $986 a month in Sioux Falls, SD versus $916 in Fort Wayne, IN. On $100,000, that's 15% of take-home pay in Sioux Falls, SD 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 Sioux Falls, SD.
- 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 Sioux Falls, SD changes real buying power by +2.1%, purely from prices.
- Fort Wayne, IN: price level 92.6 (cheaper)
- Sioux Falls, SD: price level 90.6 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fort Wayne, IN | Sioux Falls, SD | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.6 | 90.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,903 in Sioux Falls | $102,142 in Fort Wayne |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $916/mo | $986/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,260 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,921 (IN) | $0 (SD) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,700 | $47,970 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Fort Wayne, IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Sioux Falls, SD HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Fort Wayne, IN and Sioux Falls, SD-MN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fort Wayne | Sioux Falls |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.3 | 77.6 |
| Goods | 94.3 | 95.5 |
| Utilities | 86.2 | 80.7 |
| Other services | 99.1 | 91.9 |
| Overall | 92.6 | 90.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fort Wayne, IN → Sioux Falls, SD
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.1%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$2,921/yr.
75 Strong offer
Sioux Falls, SD → Fort Wayne, IN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.1%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$2,921/yr.
62 Fair 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 Sioux Falls, SD at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fort Wayne, IN | Sioux Falls, SD | Real change, Fort Wayne → Sioux Falls |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +2.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +2.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +2.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +2.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +2.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fort Wayne, IN | Sioux Falls, SD | Sioux Falls pay in Fort Wayne dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,800 | $50,040 | $51,112 (−14.5%) |
| Software Developers | $101,560 | $101,040 | $103,204 (+1.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,250 | $80,920 | $82,653 (+9.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,630 | $75,350 | $76,964 (−3.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.