CostIndexUSA

Fort Wayne, IN vs South Bend, IN Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

≈ Equal CostIN
Fort Wayne
92.6
overall index
$1,150/mo rent
IN
South Bend
92.9
overall index
$1,375/mo rent

Fort Wayne and South Bend have nearly identical costs of living.

Category Breakdown

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

🏠 Housing+3.2%
Fort Wayne
72.3
South Bend
74.6
🛒 Groceries≈ Equal
Fort Wayne
94.3
South Bend
94.2
🚗 Transportation≈ Equal
Fort Wayne
104.1
South Bend
104.2
🏥 Healthcare≈ Equal
Fort Wayne
94.2
South Bend
94.3
⚡ Utilities+1.7%
Fort Wayne
86.2
South Bend
87.7

Salary Equivalency Calculator

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

$
→
Equivalent salary in South Bend, IN
$80,300
$300 more needed in South Bend

Formula: salary × (92.9 ÷ 92.6) = salary × 1.0032. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Fort Wayne, IN

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

South Bend, IN

Median Home Price
$221,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,375
Housing Index
74.6
Price-to-Rent Ratio
13.4×

South Bend has 3.2% higher housing costs compared to Fort Wayne.

Income & Job Market

Fort Wayne, IN

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

South Bend, IN

Median Household Income
$65,800
Per Capita Income
$37,500
Unemployment Rate
4.7%
Population
103,453
Top Industries
HealthcareEducationManufacturingFinanceRetail

Affordability at a Glance

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

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

79% of income left after rent (median)

South Bend, IN
4.0×income-to-rent ratio

75% of income left after rent (median)

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

South Bend vs other cities

South Bend, IN
vs
Bloomington, IN
Index: 92.9Index: 95.1
South Bend, IN
vs
Evansville, IN
Index: 92.9Index: 91.5
South Bend, IN
vs
Indianapolis, IN
Index: 92.9Index: 95.7
South Bend, IN
vs
Wichita Falls, TX
Index: 92.9Index: 89.5
South Bend, IN
vs
Tyler, TX
Index: 92.9Index: 92.2

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.