Living Cost Compare
Casper

Wyoming

$930/mo est.

vs
Fort Wayne

Indiana

$980/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $930 in Casper, WY versus $980 in Fort Wayne, IN. Overall, Casper, WY is roughly 5% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Fort Wayne, IN, driven mainly by electricity costs.

Median household income is $69,171 in Casper, WY and $60,293 in Fort Wayne, IN — about 13% higher in Casper, WY. Wyoming has no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax; Indiana has a top state income tax rate of 2.95% and a 7% state sales tax.

Casper, WY
Fort Wayne, IN

Rent

Studio
$730
$798
+9% in Fort Wayne, IN
1 Bedroom
$764
$782
+2% in Fort Wayne, IN
2 Bedroom
$930
$984
+6% in Fort Wayne, IN
3 Bedroom
$1,299
$1,100
+15% in Casper, WY

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$250,700
$169,700
+32% in Casper, WY

Income

Median Household Income
$69,171
$60,293
+13% in Casper, WY
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$48,880
$47,700
+2% in Casper, WY

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
37.0 yr
35.0 yr
+2.0 yr in Casper, WY
Homeownership
70.3%
62.2%
+8.1 pp in Casper, WY
Bachelor's+ (25+)
30.0%
28.5%
+1.5 pp in Casper, WY
Avg Commute
16.9 min
21.4 min
+4.5 min in Fort Wayne, IN

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
302.4
308.9
+2% in Fort Wayne, IN
Property Crime
2,123.8
2,245.4
+6% in Fort Wayne, IN

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
45.4°F
50.5°F
+5.1°F in Fort Wayne, IN
Annual Precipitation
12.5 in
38.3 in
+25.8 in in Fort Wayne, IN

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$4.27/gal
$3.85/gal
+10% in Casper, WY

Area: Rocky Mountain (PADD 4) vs Midwest (PADD 2).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
15.2
17.5
+15% in Fort Wayne, IN
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$18.28
$24.52
+34% in Fort Wayne, IN

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.82
$4.31
+10% in Casper, WY
Bread (lb)
$2.04
$1.66
+19% in Casper, WY
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$3.63
+66% in Fort Wayne, IN
Ground Beef (lb)
$7.36
$6.77
+8% in Casper, WY
Chicken (lb)
$2.01
$2.10
+4% in Fort Wayne, IN
Bananas (lb)
$0.70
$0.62
+12% in Casper, WY

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (WY / IN)
4%
7%
+3.0 pp in IN
Income Tax (top rate)
None
2.95%
+3.0 pp in IN

Casper vs Fort Wayne — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Casper or Fort Wayne?
Casper, WY is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $930 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 5% below Fort Wayne, IN's $980, mainly because of electricity costs.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Casper than in Fort Wayne?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Casper versus $31,000 in Fort Wayne.
Which has lower taxes, Casper or Fort Wayne?
Casper is taxed under Wyoming's rules (no state income tax and a 4% 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).