Fort Wayne appears affordable relative to its own citywide benchmarks: median gross rent ($999/month) represents about 19.5% of median household income ($61,422/year), which is below the 30% affordability threshold commonly used in housing analysis. Median owner-occupied home value ($188,900) is approximately 3.1 times median household income, suggesting homeownership may be accessible for many residents, though individual circumstances vary and these are citywide averages that do not reflect neighborhood-level differences.
Fort Wayne at a glance
What the default budget models
A one-person renting household begins with a modeled annual core-cost baseline of $26,988. It combines the ACS median gross-rent estimate with a uniform $1,250 monthly non-housing baseline. State income tax is excluded until a current official reference is approved; the calculator labels that limitation instead of guessing.
| 2024 ACS population estimate | 268,589 |
| 2024 ACS median household income | $61,422 |
| 2024 ACS median gross rent | $999 |
| 2024 ACS median owner-occupied home value | $188,900 |
| Derived one-way commute estimate | 23 minutes |
| State-tax treatment | Excluded — official reference pending |
| Rent-to-income reference | 20% |
The trade-off
Relative strength: Rent consumes under 20% of median income locally.. Watch closely: lower housing costs may reflect tradeoffs in job access or amenities..
Compare Fort Wayne
Frequently asked questions
Is Fort Wayne affordable for renters based on 2024 ACS data?
Yes, based on citywide 2024 ACS 5-year estimates, median gross rent of $999 per month is about 19.5% of median household income ($61,422/year), which falls below the 30% benchmark often used to assess rental affordability. This calculation uses only the provided source data and does not reflect neighborhood variation.
How does Fort Wayne's median home value compare to local income?
The median owner-occupied home value of $188,900 is approximately 3.1 times the median household income of $61,422, based on the 2024 ACS 5-year estimates. This ratio suggests homeownership may be within reach for many residents, though it is a citywide average and does not account for differences across neighborhoods or individual financial circumstances.
Source ledger
Every production input below is retained with its publisher and dataset. The ACS figures are five-year estimates, not live listings or guarantees.
- PopulationU.S. Census Bureau · 2024 ACS 5-Year B01003
- Median household incomeU.S. Census Bureau · 2024 ACS 5-Year B19013
- Median gross rentU.S. Census Bureau · 2024 ACS 5-Year B25064
- Median owner-occupied home valueU.S. Census Bureau · 2024 ACS 5-Year B25077
- Commute-time distributionU.S. Census Bureau · 2024 ACS 5-Year B08303
Interpretation: The ACS 2024 five-year estimates generally summarize observations across 2020–2024. The commute number is a weighted midpoint estimate from table B08303. State income tax is not included in the modeled take-home result. Verify a current address, quote, commute, and tax situation before making a decision.