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Fort Wayne, IN

Everyday life
Shops, cafes, and daily routines
Hobbies & activities
Trails, parks, and pastimes
Nearby scenery
Lakes, overlooks, and drives

Photos and reviews come from Google Maps and show single places, not the whole area. Reviews are the most relevant ones Google returns for each place. We show the longest highly rated review under 400 characters and, when there is one, the longest low-rated review. Google doesn't verify reviews but removes fake ones when it finds them.

Around Fort Wayne

A Warthog remains the star of close air support F
A Warthog remains the star of close air support F · Photo: Staff Sgt. William Hopper, Public domain
Aerial view of Fort Wayne, September
Aerial view of Fort Wayne, September · Photo: Pi.1415926535, CC BY-SA 3.0
Anoverpassinfortwayne
Anoverpassinfortwayne · Photo: Monster Wedge, CC0
Calhounstreetindaylight
Calhounstreetindaylight · Photo: Monster Wedge, CC0
Canoeing on St. Marys River, Fort Wayne, Indiana
Canoeing on St. Marys River, Fort Wayne, Indiana · Photo: Momoneymoproblemz, CC BY-SA 3.0
City Hall Ft W IN
City Hall Ft W IN · Photo: Smallbones, CC0
Concordia Theological Seminary Chapel and Waterfall
Concordia Theological Seminary Chapel and Waterfall · Photo: Schetm, CC0
Cortes del Condado de Allen, Fort Wayne, Indiana, Estados Unidos, DD
Cortes del Condado de Allen, Fort Wayne, Indiana, Estados Unidos, DD · Photo: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 3.0
Downtown Fort Wayne, Indiana Skyline from Old Fort, May
Downtown Fort Wayne, Indiana Skyline from Old Fort, May · Photo: Momoneymoproblemz, Public domain
Electric Works, Do it Best, Broadway District, SE corner, Fort Wayne, IN
Electric Works, Do it Best, Broadway District, SE corner, Fort Wayne, IN · Photo: Xnatedawgx, CC BY-SA 4.0
Fort Wayne, United States
Fort Wayne, United States · Photo: Austin Ochoa _theochoa, CC0
Fort wayne skyline as viewed from promenade park
Fort wayne skyline as viewed from promenade park · Photo: Monster Wedge, CC0
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Where it is
Fort Wayne
Fort Wayne in Indiana
Indiana in the U.S.
State outlines: U.S. Census Bureau.

What's nearby

Within 5 miles of the center of the Fort Wayne area.

18
grocery stores
150
restaurants
31
coffee shops
86
parks
106
playgrounds
10
libraries
4
movie theaters
8
live theaters
6
museums
14
bookstores
10
gyms
32
bars
10
pharmacies
3
hospitals

Counts from OpenStreetMap, a volunteer map, so small or new places can be missing. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Biking and trails

Within 5 miles of the center of the Fort Wayne area.

Bike lanes and bike paths
98 miles
more than almost all U.S. towns
Walking and hiking trails
105 miles
more than almost all U.S. towns

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Counts depend on how well local volunteers have mapped the area, so treat them as a rough guide.

What rent costs

Of about 50,618 rented homes in the Fort Wayne area, 97% rent for under $2,000 a month and 100% for under $3,000.

Under $1,000: 55%
$1,000 to $1,499: 37%
$1,500 to $1,999: 6%
$2,000 to $2,499: 2%
$2,500 to $2,999: 0%
$3,000 or more: 0%

Census American Community Survey 2019 to 2023 (table B25063). Gross rent includes utilities the renter pays. Today's asking rents for open apartments usually run higher.

What moving costs

Hiring movers

Average cost: $1,946

From a 2025 survey of 1,000 people who hired movers. This Old House. Your quote depends on your stuff, stairs and the time of year.

Moving in as a renter

The middle rented home in the Fort Wayne area rents for under $1,000 a month. First month plus a one-month deposit comes to about under $2,000 before you get the keys.

Estimate from Census rent data (2019 to 2023, rent plus tenant-paid utilities). Deposits and fees vary by landlord and state law.

Your first weeks in Indiana

  • Forward your mail: USPS change of address. It costs about $1 online to confirm who you are.
  • Switch your driver's license and car registration. Each state sets its own deadline, often somewhere between 10 days and a few months after you move. Find the Indiana DMV.
  • Register to vote at your new address: Indiana voter registration.
  • Set up power, gas, water and trash. Some cities bill water and trash together, and some ask new customers for a deposit.
  • Update your address with your bank, employer, insurance and the IRS (Form 8822 if you're not filing soon).
  • Find a doctor and dentist early. New-patient waits can be weeks, even in big cities.

Public schools

4 public school districts in this county, with about 54,739 students in all. Which one serves a home depends on its address.

Fort Wayne Community Schools · Fort Wayne
28,612 students · 15.1 students per teacher · 50 schools · grades Pre-K to 12
Northwest Allen County Schools · Fort Wayne
8,184 students · 17.5 students per teacher · 12 schools · grades Pre-K to 12
Msd Southwest Allen County Schls · Fort Wayne
7,853 students · 17.1 students per teacher · 10 schools · grades Pre-K to 12
East Allen County Schools · New Haven
10,090 students · 16.4 students per teacher · 14 schools · grades Pre-K to 12

NCES Common Core of Data 2022-23, National Center for Education Statistics. Varro doesn't rate or rank schools. For test results and programs, see each district's site and your state's school report card.

Childcare and colleges

Daycare and preschool

Indiana keeps an official list of licensed childcare, with inspection reports and openings in many states. In a lot of towns, infant spots fill up months ahead, so it helps to get on waitlists before you move.

Search licensed childcare in Indiana →
Link via childcare.gov (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services).

5 colleges in the county around Fort Wayne. Prices are yearly tuition and fees for full-time undergrads, before financial aid.

Purdue University Fort Wayne · Fort Wayne
Public, 4-year · 8,874 students · $9,254 in-state, $22,220 out-of-state
Indiana Institute of Technology · Fort Wayne
Private nonprofit, 4-year · 2,862 students · $30,446 a year
Indiana Institute of Technology-College of Professional Studies · Fort Wayne
Private nonprofit, 4-year · 2,535 students · $9,900 a year
University of Saint Francis-Fort Wayne · Fort Wayne
Private nonprofit, 4-year · 1,852 students · $35,420 a year
Concordia Theological Seminary · Fort Wayne
Private nonprofit, 4-year · 296 students

Moving for school? Public colleges charge state residents much less. Most states want you to have lived there about 12 months, for reasons other than school, before you count as a resident for tuition. The rules differ by state, so check with the college's registrar.

IPEDS 2023-24, National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS). Degree-granting public and nonprofit schools with 100+ students. Varro doesn't rank colleges.

The facts behind it
Typical home value
$260,238
What a typical home sells for across the Fort Wayne area.
Source: Zillow Home Value Index, August 2026
Cost of living
About 7% below the U.S. average
Everyday prices (rent, groceries, services) run about $93 here for what costs $100 nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis price index 92.6 (U.S. = 100), 2024
Average commute
22 minutes one way
How long residents' trips to work take on average, counting every job and way of getting there. U.S. average: about 27 minutes.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Homeowners insurance
About $2,887 a year
The statewide average for a typical policy in IN. Your own quote will depend on the home.
Source: Statewide estimate, 2026
Natural disaster risk
Relatively Moderate
FEMA's overall rating for the county, covering floods, storms, wildfire, earthquakes and more.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Hail risk
Relatively Moderate
FEMA's rating for hail damage in the county, compared with other U.S. counties.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Hospitals nearby
3 within 5 miles
Hospitals mapped within 5 miles of the center. Emergency and specialty care vary, so check which ones fit your needs.
Source: OpenStreetMap (ODbL)
Drug overdose deaths (county)
16.5 per 100,000 people a year
66 deaths in the 12 months ending March 2026. IN average: 19 per 100,000. U.S.: 19.9. Counts are by where people lived, and recent months may still be updated.
Source: CDC National Center for Health Statistics, provisional counts through March 2026; Census population estimates 2024
People without housing (local count)
About 7 per 10,000 residents
HUD's one-night count in January 2025 found 4,860 people without housing in the Indiana Balance of State area (92 counties): 3,659 in shelters and 1,201 outside, up from 4,584 in 2024. IN: 9.6 per 10,000. U.S.: 21.9. One-night counts miss people, and how areas count differs.
Source: HUD Point-in-Time Count, January 2025 (HUD, 2025 report to Congress); Census population estimates 2024
Median household income
$68,839
Half of households in the county earn more than this, half earn less.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Property tax
0.8% of home value a year
About $800 a year for every $100,000 of home value.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
State income tax
Flat 2.95%
IN's state income tax. Some cities and counties add their own.
Source: 2026

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