Living Cost Compare
Fort Wayne

Indiana

$960/mo est.

vs
Tucson

Arizona

$1,070/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 $1,070 in Tucson, AZ. Overall, Fort Wayne, IN is roughly 10% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Tucson, AZ, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $60,293 in Fort Wayne, IN and $54,546 in Tucson, AZ — about 10% higher in Fort Wayne, IN. Indiana has a top state income tax rate of 2.95% and a 7% state sales tax; Arizona has a top state income tax rate of 2.50% and a 5.6% state sales tax.

Fort Wayne, IN
Tucson, AZ

Rent

Studio
$798
$795
+0% in Fort Wayne, IN
1 Bedroom
$782
$891
+14% in Tucson, AZ
2 Bedroom
$984
$1,146
+16% in Tucson, AZ
3 Bedroom
$1,100
$1,520
+38% in Tucson, AZ

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$169,700
$242,200
+43% in Tucson, AZ

Income

Median Household Income
$60,293
$54,546
+10% in Fort Wayne, IN
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$47,700
$47,760
+0% in Tucson, AZ

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
35.0 yr
34.6 yr
+0.4 yr in Fort Wayne, IN
Homeownership
62.2%
51.7%
+10.5 pp in Fort Wayne, IN
Bachelor's+ (25+)
28.5%
30.2%
+1.7 pp in Tucson, AZ
Avg Commute
21.4 min
22.2 min
+0.8 min in Tucson, AZ

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
308.9
645.8
+109% in Tucson, AZ
Property Crime
2,245.4
3,460
+54% in Tucson, AZ

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
70.2°F
+19.7°F in Tucson, AZ
Annual Precipitation
38.3 in
11.6 in
+26.7 in in Fort Wayne, IN

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.94/gal
$5.09/gal
+29% in Tucson, AZ

Area: Midwest (PADD 2) vs West Coast (PADD 5).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
—
Free

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
18.1
15.2
+16% in Fort Wayne, IN
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$13.70
$22.44
+64% in Tucson, AZ

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

Groceries

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

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (IN / AZ)
7%
5.6%
+1.4 pp in IN
Income Tax (top rate)
2.95%
2.50%
+0.5 pp in IN

Fort Wayne vs Tucson — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Fort Wayne or Tucson?
Fort Wayne, IN is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $960 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 10% below Tucson, AZ's $1,070, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Fort Wayne than in Tucson?
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 Tucson.
Which has lower taxes, Fort Wayne or Tucson?
Fort Wayne is taxed under Indiana's rules (a top state income tax rate of 2.95% and a 7% state sales tax); Tucson under Arizona's (a top state income tax rate of 2.50% and a 5.6% 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).