Living Cost Compare
Denver

Colorado

$1,750/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 $1,750 in Denver, CO versus $960 in Fort Wayne, IN. Overall, Fort Wayne, IN is roughly 45% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Denver, CO, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $91,681 in Denver, CO and $60,293 in Fort Wayne, IN — about 34% higher in Denver, CO. Colorado has a top state income tax rate of 4.40% and a 2.9% state sales tax; Indiana has a top state income tax rate of 2.95% and a 7% state sales tax.

Denver, CO
Fort Wayne, IN

Rent

Studio
$1,497
$798
+47% in Denver, CO
1 Bedroom
$1,583
$782
+51% in Denver, CO
2 Bedroom
$1,958
$984
+50% in Denver, CO
3 Bedroom
$2,269
$1,100
+52% in Denver, CO

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$586,700
$169,700
+71% in Denver, CO

Income

Median Household Income
$91,681
$60,293
+34% in Denver, CO
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$62,320
$47,700
+23% in Denver, CO

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
35.2 yr
35.0 yr
+0.2 yr in Denver, CO
Homeownership
49.1%
62.2%
+13.1 pp in Fort Wayne, IN
Bachelor's+ (25+)
55.6%
28.5%
+27.1 pp in Denver, CO
Avg Commute
25.4 min
21.4 min
+4.0 min in Denver, CO

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
999.3
308.9
+69% in Denver, CO
Property Crime
4,781.1
2,245.4
+53% in Denver, CO

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
50.2°F
50.5°F
+0.3°F in Fort Wayne, IN
Annual Precipitation
15.6 in
38.3 in
+22.8 in in Fort Wayne, IN

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$4.27/gal
$3.94/gal
+8% in Denver, CO

Area: Denver vs Midwest (PADD 2).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$2.75
—

Adult base one-way fare — RTD vs — (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
16.2
18.1
+12% in Fort Wayne, IN
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$11.92
$13.70
+15% in Fort Wayne, IN

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

Groceries

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

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (CO / IN)
2.9%
7%
+4.1 pp in IN
Income Tax (top rate)
4.40%
2.95%
+1.5 pp in CO

Denver vs Fort Wayne — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Denver or Fort Wayne?
Fort Wayne, IN is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $960 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 45% below Denver, CO's $1,750, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Denver than in Fort Wayne?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $63,000 a year in Denver versus $31,000 in Fort Wayne.
Which has lower taxes, Denver or Fort Wayne?
Denver is taxed under Colorado's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.40% and a 2.9% 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).