Is it cheaper to live in Fort Wayne or Gulfport?

Fort Wayne, IN is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $980 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 5% below Gulfport, MS's $1,030, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Fort Wayne versus $34,000 in Gulfport.

Which has lower taxes, Fort Wayne or Gulfport?

Fort Wayne is taxed under Indiana's rules (a top state income tax rate of 2.95% and a 7% state sales tax); Gulfport under Mississippi's (a top state income tax rate of 4.00% and a 7% state sales tax).

Fort Wayne vs Gulfport Cost of Living 2026

Fort Wayne

Indiana

$980/mo est.

Gulfport

Mississippi

$1,030/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $980 in Fort Wayne, IN versus $1,030 in Gulfport, MS. Overall, Fort Wayne, IN is roughly 5% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Gulfport, MS, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $60,293 in Fort Wayne, IN and $46,044 in Gulfport, MS — about 24% higher in Fort Wayne, IN. Indiana has a top state income tax rate of 2.95% and a 7% state sales tax; Mississippi has a top state income tax rate of 4.00% and a 7% state sales tax.

Fort Wayne, IN

Gulfport, MS

Rent

Studio

$798

$958

+20% in Gulfport, MS

1 Bedroom

$782

$849

+9% in Gulfport, MS

2 Bedroom

$984

$990

+1% in Gulfport, MS

3 Bedroom

$1,100

$1,171

+6% in Gulfport, MS

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$169,700

$167,100

+2% in Fort Wayne, IN

Income

Median Household Income

$60,293

$46,044

+24% in Fort Wayne, IN

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$47,700

$43,470

+9% in Fort Wayne, IN

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

35.0 yr

36.7 yr

+1.7 yr in Gulfport, MS

Homeownership

62.2%

53.1%

+9.1 pp in Fort Wayne, IN

Bachelor's+ (25+)

28.5%

22.3%

+6.2 pp in Fort Wayne, IN

Avg Commute

21.4 min

21.8 min

+0.4 min in Gulfport, MS

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

308.9

623.5

+102% in Gulfport, MS

Property Crime

2,245.4

3,881.3

+73% in Gulfport, MS

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

50.5°F

67.6°F

+17.1°F in Gulfport, MS

Annual Precipitation

38.3 in

64.7 in

+26.3 in in Gulfport, MS

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.85/gal

$3.62/gal

+6% in Fort Wayne, IN

Area: Midwest (PADD 2) vs Gulf Coast (PADD 3).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

17.5

14.9

+15% in Fort Wayne, IN

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$24.52

$29.04

+18% in Gulfport, MS

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.31

$4.00

+7% in Fort Wayne, IN

Bread (lb)

$1.66

$1.75

+5% in Gulfport, MS

Eggs (doz)

$3.63

$2.21

+39% in Fort Wayne, IN

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.77

$6.45

+5% in Fort Wayne, IN

Chicken (lb)

$2.10

$1.90

+9% in Fort Wayne, IN

Bananas (lb)

$0.62

about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (IN / MS)

about equal

Income Tax (top rate)

2.95%

4.00%

+1.0 pp in MS

Fort Wayne vs Gulfport — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Fort Wayne or Gulfport?: Fort Wayne, IN is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $980 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 5% below Gulfport, MS's $1,030, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Fort Wayne than in Gulfport?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Fort Wayne versus $34,000 in Gulfport.
Which has lower taxes, Fort Wayne or Gulfport?: Fort Wayne is taxed under Indiana's rules (a top state income tax rate of 2.95% and a 7% state sales tax); Gulfport under Mississippi's (a top state income tax rate of 4.00% 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).