City comparison
Fort Wayne, IN vs Spartanburg, SC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Fort Wayne, IN are 1.7% higher than in Spartanburg, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Spartanburg, SC would need about $101,700 in Fort Wayne, IN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,083 a month in Spartanburg, SC versus $916 in Fort Wayne, IN. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Spartanburg, SC and 14% in Fort Wayne, IN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,922 a year higher in Spartanburg, SC 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 Spartanburg, SC changes real buying power by +1.7%, purely from prices.
- Fort Wayne, IN: price level 92.6 (cheaper)
- Spartanburg, SC: price level 91.1 (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 | Spartanburg, SC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.6 | 91.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,357 in Spartanburg | $101,670 in Fort Wayne |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $916/mo | $1,083/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,260 | $74,337 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,921 (IN) | $4,843 (SC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,700 | $47,650 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Fort Wayne, IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Spartanburg, SC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Fort Wayne, IN and Spartanburg, SC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fort Wayne | Spartanburg |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.3 | 68.0 |
| Goods | 94.3 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 86.2 | 88.3 |
| Other services | 99.1 | 98.3 |
| Overall | 92.6 | 91.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fort Wayne, IN → Spartanburg, SC
Roughly even
Buying power +1.7%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$1,922/yr.
74 Strong offer
Spartanburg, SC → Fort Wayne, IN
Roughly even
Buying power −1.6%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$1,922/yr.
64 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 Spartanburg, SC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fort Wayne, IN | Spartanburg, SC | Real change, Fort Wayne → Spartanburg |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +1.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +1.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +1.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +1.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +1.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fort Wayne, IN | Spartanburg, SC | Spartanburg pay in Fort Wayne dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,800 | $60,990 | $62,009 (+3.7%) |
| Software Developers | $101,560 | $114,460 | $116,372 (+14.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,250 | $77,080 | $78,368 (+4.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,630 | $82,360 | $83,736 (+5.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.