Smart Movers Club

    Moving to Fort Wayne, IN

    Is Fort Wayne a good place to live?

    Watch Fort Wayne

    Fort Wayne ranks #14 of 40 Indiana cities with 25,000+ people on the Smart Movers livability score (56/100), which weighs home affordability, unemployment, education and population growth. Population grew 0.7% in the latest Census year.

    Median home value
    $169,700
    +11.3% vs prior year
    Median rent
    $959
    per month
    Household income
    $60,293
    median
    Unemployment
    5.5%
    lower is better

    Cost of living in Fort Wayne

    The median home value in Fort Wayne is $169,700 and median rent is $959 a month, against a median household income of $60,293. Homes cost about 2.8× a year of income (under 3× is considered affordable).

    Fort Wayne crime rate

    City-level FBI figures vary by agency; across Indiana the 2025 rate was 300 violent and 1,252 property crimes per 100,000 people — #35 highest of 50 states. The full report breaks down local trends.

    Moving to Fort Wayne, IN

    Fort Wayne has about 266,235 residents, 5.5% unemployment and 19% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher.

    Compare Fort Wayne with

    Fort Wayne vs Indianapolis cityFort Wayne vs EvansvilleFort Wayne vs South BendFort Wayne vs FishersFort Wayne vs CarmelFort Wayne vs BloomingtonFort Wayne vs HammondFort Wayne vs Noblesville

    More: Where to move in Indiana · Best counties in Indiana

    Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimates (2023, compared with 2022); FBI Crime Data Explorer.

    Home listings, local news, migration, schools, resources and the Smart Movers Grade & Verdict.

    See the full Smart Movers Club report