Living Cost Compare
Arlington

Texas

$1,380/mo est.

vs
Fort Wayne

Indiana

$960/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,380 in Arlington, TX versus $960 in Fort Wayne, IN. Overall, Fort Wayne, IN is roughly 30% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Arlington, TX, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $73,519 in Arlington, TX and $60,293 in Fort Wayne, IN — about 18% higher in Arlington, TX. Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax; Indiana has a top state income tax rate of 2.95% and a 7% state sales tax.

Arlington, TX
Fort Wayne, IN

Rent

Studio
$1,088
$798
+27% in Arlington, TX
1 Bedroom
$1,183
$782
+34% in Arlington, TX
2 Bedroom
$1,410
$984
+30% in Arlington, TX
3 Bedroom
$1,819
$1,100
+40% in Arlington, TX

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$276,400
$169,700
+39% in Arlington, TX

Income

Median Household Income
$73,519
$60,293
+18% in Arlington, TX
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$51,440
$47,700
+7% in Arlington, TX

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
33.6 yr
35.0 yr
+1.4 yr in Fort Wayne, IN
Homeownership
54.8%
62.2%
+7.4 pp in Fort Wayne, IN
Bachelor's+ (25+)
33.1%
28.5%
+4.6 pp in Arlington, TX
Avg Commute
26.7 min
21.4 min
+5.3 min in Arlington, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
494.2
308.9
+37% in Arlington, TX
Property Crime
2,434.5
2,245.4
+8% in Arlington, TX

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
65.4°F
50.5°F
+14.9°F in Arlington, TX
Annual Precipitation
39.6 in
38.3 in
+1.3 in in Arlington, TX

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.62/gal
$3.94/gal
+9% in Fort Wayne, IN

Area: Texas vs Midwest (PADD 2).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
N/A
—

Adult base one-way fare — Arlington On-Demand (Via) vs — (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
16.4
18.1
+10% in Fort Wayne, IN
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$30.48
$13.70
+55% in Arlington, TX

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.00
$4.31
+8% in Fort Wayne, IN
Bread (lb)
$1.75
$1.66
+5% in Arlington, TX
Eggs (doz)
$2.21
$3.63
+64% in Fort Wayne, IN
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.45
$6.77
+5% in Fort Wayne, IN
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$2.10
+10% in Fort Wayne, IN
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.62
about equal

Average prices — South vs Midwest (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (TX / IN)
6.25%
7%
+0.8 pp in IN
Income Tax (top rate)
None
2.95%
+3.0 pp in IN

Arlington vs Fort Wayne — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Arlington or Fort Wayne?
Fort Wayne, IN is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $960 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 30% below Arlington, TX's $1,380, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Arlington than in Fort Wayne?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $47,000 a year in Arlington versus $31,000 in Fort Wayne.
Which has lower taxes, Arlington or Fort Wayne?
Arlington is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax); Fort Wayne under Indiana's (a top state income tax rate of 2.95% and a 7% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).