CostIndexUSA

Dayton, OH vs Fort Wayne, IN Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

≈ Equal CostOH
Dayton
92.7
overall index
$1,300/mo rent
IN
Fort Wayne
92.6
overall index
$1,150/mo rent

Dayton and Fort Wayne have nearly identical costs of living.

Category Breakdown

Index values: 100 = U.S. national average. Higher = more expensive.

🏠 Housing−0.6%
Dayton
72.7
Fort Wayne
72.3
🛒 Groceries+0.7%
Dayton
93.6
Fort Wayne
94.3
🚗 Transportation≈ Equal
Dayton
103.9
Fort Wayne
104.1
🏥 Healthcare≈ Equal
Dayton
94
Fort Wayne
94.2
⚡ Utilities−9.6%
Dayton
95.4
Fort Wayne
86.2

Salary Equivalency Calculator

Enter your current salary in Dayton to see what you'd need to earn in Fort Wayne to maintain the same purchasing power.

$
→
Equivalent salary in Fort Wayne, IN
$79,900
$100 less needed in Fort Wayne

Formula: salary × (92.6 ÷ 92.7) = salary × 0.9989. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Dayton, OH

Median Home Price
$360,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,300
Housing Index
72.7
Price-to-Rent Ratio
23.1×

Fort Wayne, IN

Median Home Price
$245,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,150
Housing Index
72.3
Price-to-Rent Ratio
17.8×

Dayton has 0.6% lower housing costs compared to Fort Wayne.

Income & Job Market

Dayton, OH

Median Household Income
$67,100
Per Capita Income
$38,200
Unemployment Rate
4.5%
Population
137,630
Top Industries
ManufacturingHealthcareMilitaryEducationGovernment

Fort Wayne, IN

Median Household Income
$66,300
Per Capita Income
$37,800
Unemployment Rate
4%
Population
270,402
Top Industries
HealthcareManufacturingFinanceRetailGovernment

Affordability at a Glance

Income-to-rent ratio: higher is better (more income relative to housing costs).

Dayton, OH
4.3×income-to-rent ratio

77% of income left after rent (median)

Fort Wayne, IN
4.8×income-to-rent ratio

79% of income left after rent (median)

Dayton vs other cities

Dayton, OH
vs
Akron, OH
Index: 92.7Index: 93.4
Dayton, OH
vs
Cincinnati, OH
Index: 92.7Index: 95.4
Dayton, OH
vs
Cleveland, OH
Index: 92.7Index: 93.9
Dayton, OH
vs
Waco, TX
Index: 92.7Index: 92.6
Dayton, OH
vs
Columbia, SC
Index: 92.7Index: 93.7

Fort Wayne vs other cities

Fort Wayne, IN
vs
Bloomington, IN
Index: 92.6Index: 95.1
Fort Wayne, IN
vs
Evansville, IN
Index: 92.6Index: 91.5
Fort Wayne, IN
vs
Indianapolis, IN
Index: 92.6Index: 95.7
Fort Wayne, IN
vs
Toledo, OH
Index: 92.6Index: 91.5
Fort Wayne, IN
vs
Madison, WI
Index: 92.6Index: 97.3

Data Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities 2024; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Zillow Research.

Cost indices use 100 as the U.S. national average. Values above 100 indicate costs above the national average. Data is updated annually.

This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for relocation or financial decisions.