Cost of Living
The overall cost of living in Fort Wayne is far lower than the national average. To be more specific, housing is an impressive 15% less than the national average. With these rates, it is no surprise that the average residence in Fort Wayne has remained near the $100k range.
| Metro Area |
ACCRA Composite |
Fort Wayne, IN |
89.9 |
South Bend, IN |
90.3 |
Austin, TX |
97.8 |
Lexington, KY |
96.3 |
Greenville, NC |
90.9 |
St. Louis, MO-IL |
100.1 |
St. Cloud , MN |
100.1 |
Columbus, OH |
102.1 |
Denver, CO |
102.5 |
Grand Rapids , MI |
106.8 |
Richmond, VA |
106.2 |
Chicago, IL |
111.5 |
Philadelphia, PA |
125.7 |
Washington D.C. |
125.4 |
Newark, NJ |
127.9 |
San Jose , CA |
154.0 |
New York (Manhattan), NY |
210.7 |
Source: ACCRA Cost of Living Index,
Third Quarter, 2006. The average price equals 100.0. This index measures the relative price levels for consumer goods and services in participating areas. |
 |
Median Home Prices
The Fort Wayne area has historically enjoyed a low cost of living relative to other parts of the country in part due to the low cost of housing. The table below shows Allen County's value advantage.
MSA
Median Sales Price- in
000's |
|
2006 |
2004 |
2002 |
2000 |
| Fort
Wayne, IN |
101.4 |
96.6 |
94.9 |
91.6 |
| Akron,
OH |
118.2 |
116.9 |
115.3 |
110.1 |
| Atlanta,
GA |
176.1 |
156.9 |
146.5 |
131.2 |
| Austin,
TX |
175.5 |
154.7 |
156.5 |
142.8 |
| Birmingham,
AL |
165.2 |
146.6 |
137.4 |
125.5 |
| Boston,
MA |
412.3 |
389.7 |
395.9 |
314.2 |
| Charleston,
SC |
118.5 |
183.5 |
159.4 |
137.9 |
| Chicago,
IL |
279.4 |
240.1 |
220.9 |
171.8 |
| Columbus,
OH |
151.4 |
146.7 |
140.3 |
129.1 |
| Dallas,
TX |
151.3 |
138.2 |
135.2 |
122.5 |
| Des
Moines, IA |
145.9 |
140.8 |
130.2 |
116.4 |
| Ft.
Lauderdale, FL |
365.1 |
286.4 |
197.0 |
148.7 |
| Gary,
IN |
135.3 |
122.6 |
114.3 |
107.0 |
| Grand
Rapids, MI |
136.6 |
132.9 |
125.3 |
114.9 |
| Green
Bay, WI |
151.9 |
143.3 |
130.1 |
118.1 |
| Indianapolis,
IN |
122.4 |
121.7 |
116.8 |
112.3 |
| Lexington,
KY |
149.0 |
138.7 |
127.1 |
118.2 |
| Los
Angeles, CA |
582.0 |
446.4 |
286.0 |
215.9 |
| Memphis,
TN |
145.3 |
136.2 |
129.4 |
115.6 |
| Minneapolis,
MN |
233.5 |
217.4 |
185.0 |
151.4 |
| New
York, NY |
477.7 |
385.9 |
309.8 |
261.2 |
| Philadelphia,
PA |
236.2 |
185.1 |
146.1 |
125.2 |
| Phoenix,
AZ |
266.5 |
169.4 |
143.8 |
134.4 |
| Richmond,
VA |
231.4 |
170.7 |
142.3 |
129.8 |
| St.
Louis, MO |
154.4 |
128.7 |
117.0 |
108.4 |
Source:
National Association of
REALTORS, Third Quarter 2006 |
National Recognition
Below we have listed just a few of our many national awards. The variety of these honors showcase our community's excellence in virtually every aspect of work and play.
Business Awards
- World-Class Manufacturing Community —An analysis done by Industry Week Magazine, the April 1998 edition cites Fort Wayne as one of the top 25 "world-class manufacturing communities" in the nation. The business publication evaluated 315 U.S. cities.
- 5-Star Quality of Life Community 2001 — The Fort Wayne MSA ranked as one of the premier communities in which to live. Factors that were considered include standard of living, adult education, housing affordability, workforce employability and peace of mind. Expansion Magazine announced Fort Wayne's status in the May 2001 issue.
- Best Cities to Earn and Save Money —Ranked 2nd among top 125 U.S. metropolitan areas by The ReliaStar Financial Security Index in 1999.
- Most Digital City — In 2003, the city received a first place award from the Center for Digital Government’s Digital Cities Survey. The survey honors the City for utilizing information technology to streamline operations and deliver quality services to citizens. Fort Wayne placed first in its population category. In 2002, Fort Wayne received third place in the survey; in 2001 the City tied for tenth.
Community Awards
- Two All-America City Awards—Given to just 10 cities across the nation annually, the All-America awards recognize quality urban living. Fort Wayne was a winner in 1998 and 1983 (we were a runner-up in 1997).
- Two City Livability Awards—This award is presented by the US Conference of Mayors. The city won one of five 1999 City Livability Outstanding Achievement Awards from the US Conference of Mayors. We also won this award in 1983.
- Financially Secure—The March 1, 1999, issue of Business Week magazine lists Fort Wayne second among the United States' top 125 metropolitan areas for financial security. The ranking is based on a report by ReliaStar Financial Corp. Fort Wayne - Ranked as the BEST place to retire.
- Best Place to Live—Money Magazine's 1998 annual ranking showed Fort Wayne as 4th in its category nationwide among the 300 best places to live in the nation.
- Best Practices in Housing and Community Development Award — It is a recognition given by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. HUD recognized the City of Fort Wayne with this award that recognizes the importance of neighborhood input into City planning.
Big City Amenities, Small Town Charm
Fort Wayne is home to a nationally acclaimed Children's Zoo, Botanical Gardens, Art Museum, and award-winning Lincoln Museum. The city is also rich in exciting professional sports, world-class art venues and interactive museums. Hear a Philharmonic performance, see your favorite musician or performer or enjoy one of our many outstanding festivals.
Parks
Fort Wayne has 87 parks totaling nearly 2,200 acres. There are golf courses, pavilions, swimming pools, tennis courts, baseball fields, softball fields, soccer fields, walking trails, campgrounds, nature preserves, ice rinks, free concerts and youth, adult & senior classes. To view a complete listing of parks and their offerings, please see the Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation Department.
Shopping
Fort Wayne is home to Glenbrook Mall, the largest indoor mall in Indiana, with 4 department stores and over 175 specialty shops. The new Jefferson Pointe Mall, with Mediterranean-style architecture and tree-lined courtyards, is another option for local shoppers. Fort Wayne has many other shopping choices, whether you are looking for mega malls, neighborhood strip malls or a quaint boutique.
Entertainment
Fort Wayne has the amenities of a big city but with incredible accessibility:
Back
to Top of Page |
