Living Cost Compare
Fort Wayne

Indiana

$980/mo est.

vs
Missoula

Montana

$1,100/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 $1,100 in Missoula, MT. Overall, Fort Wayne, IN is roughly 11% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Missoula, MT, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $60,293 in Fort Wayne, IN and $65,329 in Missoula, MT — about 8% higher in Missoula, MT. Indiana has a top state income tax rate of 2.95% and a 7% state sales tax; Montana has a top state income tax rate of 5.65% and no state sales tax.

Fort Wayne, IN
Missoula, MT

Rent

Studio
$798
$755
+5% in Fort Wayne, IN
1 Bedroom
$782
$953
+22% in Missoula, MT
2 Bedroom
$984
$1,176
+20% in Missoula, MT
3 Bedroom
$1,100
$1,676
+52% in Missoula, MT

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$169,700
$427,400
+152% in Missoula, MT

Income

Median Household Income
$60,293
$65,329
+8% in Missoula, MT
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$47,700
$47,830
+0% in Missoula, MT

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
35.0 yr
34.3 yr
+0.7 yr in Fort Wayne, IN
Homeownership
62.2%
47.8%
+14.4 pp in Fort Wayne, IN
Bachelor's+ (25+)
28.5%
51.7%
+23.2 pp in Missoula, MT
Avg Commute
21.4 min
16.6 min
+4.8 min in Fort Wayne, IN

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
308.9
601.9
+95% in Missoula, MT
Property Crime
2,245.4
3,685.2
+64% in Missoula, MT

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
45.9°F
+4.6°F in Fort Wayne, IN
Annual Precipitation
38.3 in
14.1 in
+24.2 in in Fort Wayne, IN

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.85/gal
$4.27/gal
+11% in Missoula, MT

Area: Midwest (PADD 2) vs Rocky Mountain (PADD 4).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
17.5
15.1
+14% in Fort Wayne, IN
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$24.52
$10.12
+59% in Fort Wayne, IN

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.31
$4.82
+12% in Missoula, MT
Bread (lb)
$1.66
$2.04
+23% in Missoula, MT
Eggs (doz)
$3.63
$2.19
+40% in Fort Wayne, IN
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.77
$7.36
+9% in Missoula, MT
Chicken (lb)
$2.10
$2.01
+4% in Fort Wayne, IN
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.70
+14% in Missoula, MT

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (IN / MT)
7%
None
+7.0 pp in IN
Income Tax (top rate)
2.95%
5.65%
+2.7 pp in MT

Fort Wayne vs Missoula — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Fort Wayne or Missoula?
Fort Wayne, IN is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $980 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 11% below Missoula, MT's $1,100, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Fort Wayne than in Missoula?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Fort Wayne versus $38,000 in Missoula.
Which has lower taxes, Fort Wayne or Missoula?
Fort Wayne is taxed under Indiana's rules (a top state income tax rate of 2.95% and a 7% state sales tax); Missoula under Montana's (a top state income tax rate of 5.65% and no 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).