Residential comparison · 13 facts
Carmel, IN vs Fort Wayne, IN
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Carmel needs about $75,000 in Fort Wayne to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Fort Wayne, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $95,000 in Carmel.
A few differences
- Carmel is higher on median household income ($141,505 vs $61,422).
- Fort Wayne is lower on cost of living index (80 vs 106).
- Fort Wayne is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($1,039/mo vs $1,719/mo).
Carmel vs Fort Wayne · facet by facet
| Facet | Carmel, IN | Fort Wayne, IN |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $486,800 | $188,900 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,719/mo | $1,039/mo |
| Property tax rate | 0.83% | 0.83% |
| State & local income tax | 4.15% | 4.53% |
| Sales tax | 7% | 7% |
| Cost of living index | 106 | 80 |
| Groceries index | 95 | 95 |
| Utilities | $165/mo | $165/mo |
| Median household income | $141,505 | $61,422 |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% | 3.6% |
| Crime index | 45/100 | 45/100 |
| School rating | 5.8/10 | 5.8/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 190 days | 190 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Carmel, IN · Fort Wayne, IN
Questions & answers
- Is Carmel cheaper than Fort Wayne?
- Fort Wayne has the lower day-to-day cost index (80 vs 106 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Fort Wayne equals $85,000 in Carmel?
- A household earning $85,000 in Carmel needs about $75,000 in Fort Wayne to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Fort Wayne lifestyle costs about $95,000 in Carmel.