Is it cheaper to live in Cheyenne or Fort Wayne?

Fort Wayne, IN is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $960 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 2% below Cheyenne, WY's $980, mainly because of rent.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Cheyenne than in Fort Wayne?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $33,000 a year in Cheyenne versus $31,000 in Fort Wayne.

Which has lower taxes, Cheyenne or Fort Wayne?

Cheyenne 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).

Cheyenne vs Fort Wayne Cost of Living 2026

Cheyenne

Wyoming

$980/mo est.

Fort Wayne

Indiana

$960/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $980 in Cheyenne, WY versus $960 in Fort Wayne, IN. Overall, Fort Wayne, IN is roughly 2% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Cheyenne, WY, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $77,176 in Cheyenne, WY and $60,293 in Fort Wayne, IN — about 22% higher in Cheyenne, 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.

Cheyenne, WY

Fort Wayne, IN

Rent

Studio

$756

$798

+6% in Fort Wayne, IN

1 Bedroom

$824

$782

+5% in Cheyenne, WY

2 Bedroom

$1,036

$984

+5% in Cheyenne, WY

3 Bedroom

$1,478

$1,100

+26% in Cheyenne, WY

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$311,200

$169,700

+45% in Cheyenne, WY

Income

Median Household Income

$77,176

$60,293

+22% in Cheyenne, WY

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$51,540

$47,700

+7% in Cheyenne, WY

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

38.9 yr

35.0 yr

+3.9 yr in Cheyenne, WY

Homeownership

67.7%

62.2%

+5.5 pp in Cheyenne, WY

Bachelor's+ (25+)

32.9%

28.5%

+4.4 pp in Cheyenne, WY

Avg Commute

16.1 min

21.4 min

+5.3 min in Fort Wayne, IN

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

334.6

308.9

+8% in Cheyenne, WY

Property Crime

3,030.3

2,245.4

+26% in Cheyenne, WY

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

46.5°F

50.5°F

+4.0°F in Fort Wayne, IN

Annual Precipitation

15.9 in

38.3 in

+22.4 in in Fort Wayne, IN

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$4.29/gal

$3.94/gal

+8% in Cheyenne, WY

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

14.8

18.1

+23% in Fort Wayne, IN

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$13.31

$13.70

+3% in Fort Wayne, IN

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.82

$4.31

+10% in Cheyenne, WY

Bread (lb)

$2.04

$1.66

+19% in Cheyenne, WY

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

$3.63

+66% in Fort Wayne, IN

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.36

$6.77

+8% in Cheyenne, WY

Chicken (lb)

$2.01

$2.10

+4% in Fort Wayne, IN

Bananas (lb)

$0.70

$0.62

+12% in Cheyenne, WY

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (WY / IN)

+3.0 pp in IN

Income Tax (top rate)

None

2.95%

+3.0 pp in IN

Cheyenne vs Fort Wayne — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Cheyenne or Fort Wayne?: Fort Wayne, IN is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $960 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 2% below Cheyenne, WY's $980, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Cheyenne than in Fort Wayne?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $33,000 a year in Cheyenne versus $31,000 in Fort Wayne.
Which has lower taxes, Cheyenne or Fort Wayne?: Cheyenne 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).