Median rent is 60% lower in Fort Wayne ($999/mo vs $2,476/mo). Buying is cheaper in Fort Wayne, where the median home runs $188,900 versus $1,394,500. Households earn more in San Francisco ($140,970 vs $61,422 a year).
City A
Fort Wayne, IN
City B
San Francisco, CA
How much would you need to earn in San Francisco, CA 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
San Francisco
California
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 $2,476/mo in San Francisco, a 60% difference. Home buyers face a steeper market in San Francisco: the median home is $1,394,500 versus $188,900 in Fort Wayne — 86% 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
San Francisco
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Air quality data is available for Fort Wayne (avg AQI 28.0) but not yet for San Francisco.
Pick San Francisco if you prioritize higher median household income ($140,970/yr).
Pick Fort Wayne if you prioritize cheaper rent ($999/mo median).
Is Fort Wayne cheaper than San Francisco?
Cost of living index data is not yet available for one or both cities.
How much is rent in Fort Wayne vs San Francisco?
Median rent is $999/mo in Fort Wayne, IN and $2,476/mo in San Francisco, CA. Fort Wayne, IN has the lower rent by about 60%.
Which has higher salaries — Fort Wayne or San Francisco?
Median household income is $61,422 in Fort Wayne, IN and $140,970 in San Francisco, CA. San Francisco, CA 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 — Fort Wayne or San Francisco?
State tax data is not yet available for one or both cities.
What salary do I need in San Francisco 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
