Fort Wayne vs Indianapolis
Fort Wayne, Indiana versus Indianapolis, Indiana: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Fort Wayne and Indianapolis score about the same overall (50 vs 48 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Fort Wayne | Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $58k | $59k |
| Cost of Living | $47k | $44k |
| Home Value | $153k | $185k |
| Monthly Rent | $904 | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.87% | 0.96% |
| Income Tax | 4.95% | 5.22% |
| Sales Tax | 7.00% | 7.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 9.55% | 10.51% |
| Unemployment | 5.8% | 5.6% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 25°F | 29°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 74°F | 76°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 38.7 in | 41.2 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 33.6 in | 26.7 in |
| Sunny Days | 173 days | 168 days |
| Summer Humidity | 63°F | 65°F |
| Comfortable Days | 103 days | 85 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 24.6 | 25.9 |
| Air Quality | 48 AQI | 57 AQI |
| School Quality | 54.0 | 100.0 |
| Violent Crime | 1693/100k | 2596/100k |
| Property Crime | 2391/100k | 3394/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 264,514 | 882,006 |
| Median Age | 35.1 | 34.3 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.50 | 0.60 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.95 | 0.95 |
| Political Leaning | R+11 | D+30 |
| White (%) | 64.8% | 51.9% |
| Black (%) | 15.0% | 28.5% |
| Hispanic (%) | 9.7% | 10.9% |
| Asian (%) | 5.6% | 4.1% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 5.0% | 4.6% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 21 min | 24 min |
| Walkability | 14.6/20 | 14.6/20 |
| Airport Distance | 112 mi | 10 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 88.8% | 87.0% |
| Amenities Nearby | 11.15 | 7.41 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | Good |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Fort Wayne or Indianapolis more affordable?
- Indianapolis has the lower cost of living: its index is $44k, compared with Fort Wayne's $47k and Indianapolis's $44k. Median rent is $904 in Fort Wayne versus $1k in Indianapolis.
- Is Fort Wayne or Indianapolis safer?
- Fort Wayne has the lower violent crime rate. Fort Wayne reports 1693/100k and Indianapolis reports 2596/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Fort Wayne or Indianapolis?
- The median home value is $153k in Fort Wayne and $185k in Indianapolis, so homes are more affordable in Fort Wayne.