Median rent is 29% lower in Fort Wayne ($999/mo vs $1,413/mo). Buying is cheaper in Fort Wayne, where the median home runs $188,900 versus $372,900. Households earn more in Madison ($78,050 vs $61,422 a year).
City A
Fort Wayne, IN
City B
Madison, WI
How much would you need to earn in Madison, WI to maintain your standard of living from Fort Wayne, IN?
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
Fort Wayne
Indiana
Madison
Wisconsin
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
Renters will find significantly cheaper housing in Fort Wayne — median rent of $999/mo versus $1,413/mo in Madison, a 29% difference. Home buyers face a steeper market in Madison: the median home is $372,900 versus $188,900 in Fort Wayne — 49% 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.
Fort Wayne
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Madison
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Both cities have similar air quality: Fort Wayne averages 28.0 AQI (Good) and Madison averages 27.0 AQI (Good).
Pick Madison if you prioritize higher median household income ($78,050/yr).
Pick Fort Wayne if you prioritize cheaper rent ($999/mo median).
Is Fort Wayne cheaper than Madison?
Cost of living index data is not yet available for one or both cities.
How much is rent in Fort Wayne vs Madison?
Median rent is $999/mo in Fort Wayne, IN and $1,413/mo in Madison, WI. Fort Wayne, IN has the lower rent by about 29%.
Which has higher salaries — Fort Wayne or Madison?
Median household income is $61,422 in Fort Wayne, IN and $78,050 in Madison, WI. Madison, WI 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?
Madison, WI has better air quality on average: 27.0 AQI versus 28.0 AQI. Both are EPA AirNow annual averages; lower is better.
Which has lower taxes — Fort Wayne or Madison?
State tax data is not yet available for one or both cities.
What salary do I need in Madison to match my Fort Wayne 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
