Living Cost Compare
Fort Wayne

Indiana

$960/mo est.

vs
Houston

Texas

$1,360/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $960 in Fort Wayne, IN versus $1,360 in Houston, TX. Overall, Fort Wayne, IN is roughly 29% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Houston, TX, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $60,293 in Fort Wayne, IN and $62,894 in Houston, TX — about 4% higher in Houston, TX. Indiana has a top state income tax rate of 2.95% and a 7% state sales tax; Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax.

Fort Wayne, IN
Houston, TX

Rent

Studio
$798
$1,142
+43% in Houston, TX
1 Bedroom
$782
$1,156
+48% in Houston, TX
2 Bedroom
$984
$1,375
+40% in Houston, TX
3 Bedroom
$1,100
$1,664
+51% in Houston, TX

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$169,700
$253,400
+49% in Houston, TX

Income

Median Household Income
$60,293
$62,894
+4% in Houston, TX
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$47,700
$49,410
+4% in Houston, TX

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
35.0 yr
34.3 yr
+0.7 yr in Fort Wayne, IN
Homeownership
62.2%
42.0%
+20.2 pp in Fort Wayne, IN
Bachelor's+ (25+)
28.5%
36.0%
+7.5 pp in Houston, TX
Avg Commute
21.4 min
27.3 min
+5.9 min in Houston, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
308.9
1,153.8
+274% in Houston, TX
Property Crime
2,245.4
4,324.9
+93% in Houston, TX

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
70.3°F
+19.8°F in Houston, TX
Annual Precipitation
38.3 in
54.6 in
+16.3 in in Houston, TX

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.94/gal
$3.52/gal
+11% in Fort Wayne, IN

Area: Midwest (PADD 2) vs Houston.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
—
$1.25

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
18.1
16.4
+9% in Fort Wayne, IN
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$13.70
$30.48
+122% in Houston, TX

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 Houston, TX
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
$0.62
about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (IN / TX)
7%
6.25%
+0.8 pp in IN
Income Tax (top rate)
2.95%
None
+3.0 pp in IN

Fort Wayne vs Houston — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Fort Wayne or Houston?
Fort Wayne, IN is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $960 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 29% below Houston, TX's $1,360, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Fort Wayne than in Houston?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Fort Wayne versus $46,000 in Houston.
Which has lower taxes, Fort Wayne or Houston?
Fort Wayne is taxed under Indiana's rules (a top state income tax rate of 2.95% and a 7% state sales tax); Houston under Texas's (no state income tax and a 6.25% 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).