Sioux Falls, SD vs Fort Wayne, IN: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Fort Wayne, IN has a modeled overall cost index 5.8% lower than Sioux Falls, SD.

Sioux Falls, SD · modeled 2BR rent
$1,110 / month
Fort Wayne, IN · modeled 2BR rent
$1,090 / month

These are saved estimates, not current rental listings. Some cities use adjusted regional data. Your household budget can differ from the overall index. Sources and assumptions

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Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Sioux Falls, SD and Fort Wayne, IN using saved regional data and explicit budgeting assumptions. Rent estimates are not live listings. Change the salary below, then check the source notes before applying a result to your household.

Saved regional estimates · Sources and assumptions

$
Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $195/month in Fort Wayne, IN

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $147,657 in Fort Wayne, IN

Regional cost estimates: Sioux Falls, SD uses Omaha, NE. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.
Overall Cost
↓ 5.8%
Less expensive
Monthly Impact
$195
Savings
Annual Impact
$2.3K
Per year

Assumes 60% of current gross income goes to living costs. The headline uses the category budget below; taxes, moving costs and savings goals are excluded.

Sioux Falls, SD

Population:206K
Cost Index:
88.1
100 = national average
Typical Home:$280K

Fort Wayne, IN

Population:270K
Cost Index:
83.0
100 = national average
Typical Home:$206K

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Sioux Falls, SD

The Mount Rushmore State

206K
Population
State Tax
No Income Tax

Located in South Dakota, this city has a population of 206K residents.

💡 Advantage: South Dakota has no state income tax!

Fort Wayne, IN

The Hoosier State

270K
Population
State Tax
Yes

Located in Indiana, this city has a population of 270K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Sioux Falls, SD vs Fort Wayne, IN

Assumes 60% of your current gross income is spent on these categories. The headline and totals use this same budget. Rent estimates below are separate reference data. Rounded amounts may differ by $1.

Healthcare
↓ 13.1%
Sioux Falls, SD
$753
Fort Wayne, IN
$654
Difference
$99.01
less
Other
↓ 5.2%
Sioux Falls, SD
$1,766
Fort Wayne, IN
$1,674
Difference
$92.01
less
All Utilities
↑ 8.7%
Sioux Falls, SD
$519
Fort Wayne, IN
$565
Difference
$45.36
more
Transportation
↓ 1.2%
Sioux Falls, SD
$1,352
Fort Wayne, IN
$1,335
Difference
$16.64
less
Housing
↓ 0.8%
Sioux Falls, SD
$2,060
Fort Wayne, IN
$2,044
Difference
$16.47
less
Groceries
↓ 1.6%
Sioux Falls, SD
$1,049
Fort Wayne, IN
$1,033
Difference
$16.45
less

🏛️ Local Income Taxes

Fort Wayne, IN: Allen County Income Tax$2,220/yr (1.5%)

Sioux Falls, SD has no local income tax recorded in this dataset.

Local taxes are shown separately and are not included in the living-cost totals. Coverage is incomplete; an absent entry does not establish that no tax applies.

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio
From$830
To$870
↑ $40.00
1 Bed
From$950
To$900
↓ $50.00
2 Bed
From$1,110
To$1,090
↓ $20.00
3 Bed
From$1,520
To$1,350
↓ $170
Sioux Falls, SDZIP-level data

1BR range: $880–$1,060/mo

Fort Wayne, INZIP-level data

1BR range: $790–$1,360/mo

💡 Note: HUD Fair Market Rents estimate 40th-percentile gross rents, including most tenant-paid utilities. City ZIP summaries are medians of those estimates, not market median rents. Actual prices vary by neighborhood, amenities, and condition. Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents FY2026.

$7,500
Monthly in Sioux Falls, SD
$7,305
Monthly in Fort Wayne, IN
$195
Difference

Home Values

Sioux Falls
Fort Wayne
$280K
Median Value
$206K
↑ +0.5%
YoY Change
↑ +2.2%
↑ +35.6%
5-Year Change
↑ +46.8%
$216K - $323K
Price Range
$104K - $439K

Homes in Fort Wayne are 26% less expensive than Sioux Falls

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), January 2026

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings
↓ $4.8K
More taxes
Monthly Difference
$404
Less take-home
Effective Rate Diff
3.2%
Rate difference

Sioux Falls, SD

Federal Income Tax
Effective: 18.9%
$25.5K
South Dakota State Tax
No state income tax
$0
FICA Taxes
Social Security + Medicare
$11.5K
Total Taxes
Effective: 24.7%
$37.0K
Take-Home Pay
$9,416/month
$113.0K

Fort Wayne, IN

Federal Income Tax
Effective: 18.9%
$25.5K
Indiana State Tax
Effective: 3.2%
$4.8K
FICA Taxes
Social Security + Medicare
$11.5K
Total Taxes
Effective: 27.9%
$41.9K
Take-Home Pay
$9,012/month
$108.1K

Additional Tax Information

Sioux Falls, SD Tax Rates

Sales Tax:6.4%
Property Tax:1.3%

Fort Wayne, IN Tax Rates

Sales Tax:7.0%
Property Tax:0.9%

💡 Note: Tax calculations are estimates based on 2024/2025 tax brackets for single filers with standard deduction. Actual taxes may vary based on filing status, deductions, credits, and local variations.

🚶 Walkability

Modeled road attributes, not a safety assessment. Methodology and limitations

Environment

Sioux Falls
Fort Wayne
45 Good
Air Quality
45 Good
63.7%
Good Air Days
62.6%
96 High
Climate Risk
91 Moderate
🌊🌡🌪
Top Hazards
🌊🌪💨
▲+3.4°F
2050 Outlook
▲+3.1°F
35 days
Heat Days >95°F
17 days
▲+3.4°F
2050 Outlook
▲+3.1°F
35 days
Heat Days >95°F
17 days

Before moving from Sioux Falls, SD to Fort Wayne, IN

Use this comparison to shortlist a move, then check the costs that depend on your household.

  1. Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Fort Wayne, IN for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Sioux Falls, SD. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
  2. Confirm your income. Check your expected pay with your employer, including any location adjustment. Use “Different salary at destination?” above to compare two incomes. The budget model excludes taxes and one-time moving costs; it is not a take-home-pay calculation.
  3. Price your daily routine. Check the commute from a specific address to work, school or childcare. Add household expenses missing from this model, such as childcare, debt payments and medical needs. Verify local services before signing a lease.
  4. Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your Sioux Falls to Fort Wayne moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Fort Wayne, IN by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Sioux Falls, SD vs Fort Wayne, IN

How do the cost estimates for Sioux Falls, SD and Fort Wayne, IN compare?

Fort Wayne, IN has a modeled overall cost index 5.8% lower than Sioux Falls, SD. This is a broad model comparison, not a survey of today's prices or a forecast of your household spending. Some cities use adjusted regional fallback data.

What does the equivalent salary mean?

At a $150,000 salary in Sioux Falls, SD, the model estimates $147,657 in Fort Wayne, IN. It allocates 60% of gross income to the origin city’s category budget and applies each destination category’s relative cost. The equivalent salary adds the total category difference to your income. The monthly difference is the same category difference divided by 12; it is not take-home pay or guaranteed savings. Household size, childcare and your actual lease are not inputs to this calculation.

What rent estimates are available for Sioux Falls, SD and Fort Wayne, IN?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,110/month in Sioux Falls, SD and $1,090/month in Fort Wayne, IN. Where available, the source is a city median of HUD FY2026 ZIP-level estimates; otherwise a saved metro table is used. City adjustments may also apply. These are not asking rents or available listings. Compare actual properties with the same bedroom count and included utilities.

How should I use this comparison before moving?

Use it to shortlist locations, then replace modeled costs with a current housing quote, employer-confirmed income, commute costs, insurance and your household's other expenses. Add one-time moving costs separately. Source years differ and the saved datasets are not a live price feed. Read the methodology for the formulas and fallback rules.

💰 See how taxes change too — compare take-home pay between South Dakota and Indiana on TaxTakeHome.com

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