Is it cheaper to live in Concord or Fort Wayne?

Fort Wayne, IN is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $980 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 30% below Concord, NH's $1,410, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $45,000 a year in Concord versus $31,000 in Fort Wayne.

Which has lower taxes, Concord or Fort Wayne?

Concord is taxed under New Hampshire's rules (no state income tax and no state sales tax); Fort Wayne under Indiana's (a top state income tax rate of 2.95% and a 7% state sales tax).

Concord vs Fort Wayne Cost of Living 2026

Concord

New Hampshire

$1,410/mo est.

Fort Wayne

Indiana

$980/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,410 in Concord, NH versus $980 in Fort Wayne, IN. Overall, Fort Wayne, IN is roughly 30% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Concord, NH, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $83,701 in Concord, NH and $60,293 in Fort Wayne, IN — about 28% higher in Concord, NH. New Hampshire has no state income tax and no state sales tax; Indiana has a top state income tax rate of 2.95% and a 7% state sales tax.

Concord, NH

Fort Wayne, IN

Rent

Studio

$876

$798

+9% in Concord, NH

1 Bedroom

$1,134

$782

+31% in Concord, NH

2 Bedroom

$1,475

$984

+33% in Concord, NH

3 Bedroom

$1,769

$1,100

+38% in Concord, NH

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$323,700

$169,700

+48% in Concord, NH

Income

Median Household Income

$83,701

$60,293

+28% in Concord, NH

Metro Median Wage (annual)

—

$47,700

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

40.7 yr

35.0 yr

+5.7 yr in Concord, NH

Homeownership

57.4%

62.2%

+4.8 pp in Fort Wayne, IN

Bachelor's+ (25+)

40.1%

28.5%

+11.6 pp in Concord, NH

Avg Commute

23.2 min

21.4 min

+1.8 min in Concord, NH

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

180.7

308.9

+71% in Fort Wayne, IN

Property Crime

1,251.5

2,245.4

+79% 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

46.4°F

50.5°F

+4.1°F in Fort Wayne, IN

Annual Precipitation

40.6 in

38.3 in

+2.3 in in Concord, NH

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.94/gal

$3.85/gal

+2% in Concord, NH

Area: East Coast (PADD 1) vs Midwest (PADD 2).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

27.0

17.5

+35% in Concord, NH

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$21.67

$24.52

+13% in Fort Wayne, IN

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.31

about equal

Bread (lb)

$1.92

$1.66

+14% in Concord, NH

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

$3.63

+66% in Fort Wayne, IN

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.90

$6.77

+2% in Concord, NH

Chicken (lb)

$2.19

$2.10

+4% in Concord, NH

Bananas (lb)

$0.69

$0.62

+11% in Concord, NH

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (NH / IN)

None

+7.0 pp in IN

Income Tax (top rate)

None

2.95%

+3.0 pp in IN

Concord vs Fort Wayne — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Concord or Fort Wayne?: Fort Wayne, IN is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $980 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 30% below Concord, NH's $1,410, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Concord than in Fort Wayne?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $45,000 a year in Concord versus $31,000 in Fort Wayne.
Which has lower taxes, Concord or Fort Wayne?: Concord is taxed under New Hampshire's rules (no state income tax and no 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).