Fort Wayne vs Springfield
The short version
- Overall prices are about the same in both metro areas (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $162,100 in Springfield and $188,900 in Fort Wayne.
- Households earn more in Springfield ($66,064 vs $61,422 median).
- Fort Wayne gets far more snow: 34 inches a year vs 22.
- Fort Wayne is growing faster: +4.3% since 2020 vs -1.4%.
- Commutes are shorter in Springfield (17 vs 22 minutes each way).
Side by side
| Fort Wayne, IN | Springfield, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 275,203 | 112,989 |
| Growth since 2020 | +4.3% | -1.4% |
| People per square mile | 2,462 | 1,844 |
| Median age | 35.0 | 41.0 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29% | 36% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $61,422 | $66,064 |
| Median home value | $188,900 | $162,100 |
| Home value to income | 3.1× | 2.5× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $999 | $975 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 92.6 | 92.7 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 72.3 | 71.6 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $69,400 | $69,600 |
| Homeowners | 62% | 64% |
| Top state income tax | 2.95% | 4.95% |
| Combined sales tax | 7% | 8.98% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 21.5 | 17.4 |
| Work from home | 9% | 15% |
| Take public transit | 1% | 1% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 5.6% | 6.8% |
| Poverty rate | 16% | 16.8% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 33° / 18° | 36° / 20° |
| July high / low | 84° / 64° | 87° / 66° |
| Precipitation per year | 40 in | 38 in |
| Snowfall per year | 34 in | 22 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 16 | 28 |
| Nights below freezing | 124 | 111 |
| Comfortable months | 5 | 4 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively Moderate | Relatively Moderate |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 90.8 | 91.7 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 57% | 70% |
| Home prices, past year | +4.3% | +5.1% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +54.2% | +42.1% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Fort Wayne: June to October. Springfield: April and August to October.
Full monthly tables: Fort Wayne weather by month and Springfield weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $69,400 in Fort Wayne and $69,600 in Springfield. Moving from Fort Wayne to Springfield, you would need about $75,100 to match a $75,000 salary.
Which would you pick?
One vote per person. Results show after you vote.