Is it cheaper to live in Fort Wayne or Worcester?

Fort Wayne, IN is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $980 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 27% below Worcester, MA's $1,340, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Fort Wayne versus $41,000 in Worcester.

Which has lower taxes, Fort Wayne or Worcester?

Fort Wayne is taxed under Indiana's rules (a top state income tax rate of 2.95% and a 7% state sales tax); Worcester under Massachusetts's (a top state income tax rate of 9.00% and a 6.25% state sales tax).

Fort Wayne vs Worcester Cost of Living 2026

Fort Wayne

Indiana

$980/mo est.

Worcester

Massachusetts

$1,340/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 $1,340 in Worcester, MA. Overall, Fort Wayne, IN is roughly 27% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Worcester, MA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $60,293 in Fort Wayne, IN and $67,544 in Worcester, MA — about 11% higher in Worcester, MA. Indiana has a top state income tax rate of 2.95% and a 7% state sales tax; Massachusetts has a top state income tax rate of 9.00% and a 6.25% state sales tax.

Fort Wayne, IN

Worcester, MA

Rent

Studio

$798

$1,087

+36% in Worcester, MA

1 Bedroom

$782

$1,028

+31% in Worcester, MA

2 Bedroom

$984

$1,476

+50% in Worcester, MA

3 Bedroom

$1,100

$1,675

+52% in Worcester, MA

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$169,700

$339,500

+100% in Worcester, MA

Income

Median Household Income

$60,293

$67,544

+12% in Worcester, MA

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$47,700

$57,830

+21% in Worcester, MA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

35.0 yr

34.1 yr

+0.9 yr in Fort Wayne, IN

Homeownership

62.2%

42.4%

+19.8 pp in Fort Wayne, IN

Bachelor's+ (25+)

28.5%

34.1%

+5.6 pp in Worcester, MA

Avg Commute

21.4 min

25.1 min

+3.7 min in Worcester, MA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

308.9

640.2

+107% in Worcester, MA

Property Crime

2,245.4

1,580.3

+30% in Fort Wayne, IN

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

47.9°F

+2.6°F in Fort Wayne, IN

Annual Precipitation

38.3 in

48.1 in

+9.7 in in Worcester, MA

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.85/gal

$4.07/gal

+6% in Worcester, MA

Area: Midwest (PADD 2) vs Massachusetts.

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

17.5

29.6

+69% in Worcester, MA

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$24.52

$30.66

+25% in Worcester, MA

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.31

about equal

Bread (lb)

$1.66

$1.92

+16% in Worcester, MA

Eggs (doz)

$3.63

$2.19

+40% in Fort Wayne, IN

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.77

$6.90

+2% in Worcester, MA

Chicken (lb)

$2.10

$2.19

+4% in Worcester, MA

Bananas (lb)

$0.62

$0.69

+12% in Worcester, MA

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (IN / MA)

6.25%

+0.8 pp in IN

Income Tax (top rate)

2.95%

9.00%

+6.0 pp in MA

Fort Wayne vs Worcester — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Fort Wayne or Worcester?: Fort Wayne, IN is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $980 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 27% below Worcester, MA's $1,340, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Fort Wayne than in Worcester?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Fort Wayne versus $41,000 in Worcester.
Which has lower taxes, Fort Wayne or Worcester?: Fort Wayne is taxed under Indiana's rules (a top state income tax rate of 2.95% and a 7% state sales tax); Worcester under Massachusetts's (a top state income tax rate of 9.00% 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).