Median rent is 5% lower in Cleveland ($945/mo vs $999/mo). Buying is cheaper in Cleveland, where the median home runs $102,000 versus $188,900. Households earn more in Fort Wayne ($61,422 vs $40,801 a year).
City A
Cleveland, OH
City B
Fort Wayne, IN
How much would you need to earn in Fort Wayne, IN to maintain your standard of living from Cleveland, OH?
A cost-of-living index isn't available for one of these cities yet, so we can't compute an equivalent salary.
Based on BEA Regional Price Parity (cost index) for each metro area. This estimates overall purchasing power; it does not account for taxes or take-home pay differences.
Metric
Cleveland
Ohio
Fort Wayne
Indiana
Population
Median Household Income
Annual
Median Gross Rent
Per month
Median Home Value
Cost of Living Index
US avg = 100
1BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
2BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
3BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
Air Quality Index
Lower = cleaner
Top State Income Tax
Top marginal rate
State Sales Tax
Statewide base rate
Median Age
Years
✓ = better value · Sources: Census ACS, BEA, HUD Fair Market Rents, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation
Median rents are similar in both cities: $945/mo in Cleveland and $999/mo in Fort Wayne. Home buyers face a steeper market in Fort Wayne: the median home is $188,900 versus $102,000 in Cleveland — 46% more expensive.
1BR Fair Market Rent
2BR Fair Market Rent
BLS OEWS 2023 — metro-level data
State tax data is not yet available for these cities.
Cleveland
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Fort Wayne
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Air quality data is available for Fort Wayne (avg AQI 28.0) but not yet for Cleveland.
Pick Fort Wayne if you prioritize higher median household income ($61,422/yr).
Is Cleveland cheaper than Fort Wayne?
Cost of living index data is not yet available for one or both cities.
How much is rent in Cleveland vs Fort Wayne?
Median rent is $945/mo in Cleveland, OH and $999/mo in Fort Wayne, IN. Cleveland, OH has the lower rent by about 5%.
Which has higher salaries — Cleveland or Fort Wayne?
Median household income is $40,801 in Cleveland, OH and $61,422 in Fort Wayne, IN. Fort Wayne, IN has the higher median income. Note that BLS occupational wages in the table above show wages for specific jobs.
Which city has better air quality?
Air quality data is not yet available for one or both cities.
Which has lower taxes — Cleveland or Fort Wayne?
State tax data is not yet available for one or both cities.
What salary do I need in Fort Wayne to match my Cleveland income?
RPP data needed for salary equivalence calculation is not yet available.
Data last updated: December 1, 2026 · Sources: US Census ACS, BEA RPP, BLS OEWS, HUD FMR, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation · Methodology
