Living Cost Compare
Fort Wayne

Indiana

$960/mo est.

vs
Little Rock

Arkansas

$1,080/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 $1,080 in Little Rock, AR. Overall, Fort Wayne, IN is roughly 11% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Little Rock, AR, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $60,293 in Fort Wayne, IN and $60,583 in Little Rock, AR. Indiana has a top state income tax rate of 2.95% and a 7% state sales tax; Arkansas has a top state income tax rate of 3.90% and a 6.5% state sales tax.

Fort Wayne, IN
Little Rock, AR

Rent

Studio
$798
$981
+23% in Little Rock, AR
1 Bedroom
$782
$904
+16% in Little Rock, AR
2 Bedroom
$984
$1,064
+8% in Little Rock, AR
3 Bedroom
$1,100
$1,292
+17% in Little Rock, AR

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$169,700
$221,200
+30% in Little Rock, AR

Income

Median Household Income
$60,293
$60,583
+0% in Little Rock, AR
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$47,700
$45,790
+4% in Fort Wayne, IN

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
35.0 yr
36.4 yr
+1.4 yr in Little Rock, AR
Homeownership
62.2%
54.2%
+8.0 pp in Fort Wayne, IN
Bachelor's+ (25+)
28.5%
44.0%
+15.5 pp in Little Rock, AR
Avg Commute
21.4 min
18.3 min
+3.1 min in Fort Wayne, IN

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
308.9
1,673
+442% in Little Rock, AR
Property Crime
2,245.4
5,251.5
+134% in Little Rock, AR

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
62.7°F
+12.2°F in Little Rock, AR
Annual Precipitation
38.3 in
49.8 in
+11.4 in in Little Rock, AR

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.94/gal
$3.62/gal
+8% in Fort Wayne, IN

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
18.1
14.4
+21% in Fort Wayne, IN
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$13.70
$25.93
+89% in Little Rock, AR

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 Little Rock, AR
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 / AR)
7%
6.5%
+0.5 pp in IN
Income Tax (top rate)
2.95%
3.90%
+0.9 pp in AR

Fort Wayne vs Little Rock — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Fort Wayne or Little Rock?
Fort Wayne, IN is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $960 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 11% below Little Rock, AR's $1,080, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Fort Wayne than in Little Rock?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Fort Wayne versus $36,000 in Little Rock.
Which has lower taxes, Fort Wayne or Little Rock?
Fort Wayne is taxed under Indiana's rules (a top state income tax rate of 2.95% and a 7% state sales tax); Little Rock under Arkansas's (a top state income tax rate of 3.90% and a 6.5% 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).