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Fort Wayne, IN

The Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Fort Wayne, IN is $1,113 per month, ranking #474 out of 693 areas nationwide. The area median household income is $69,378, meaning a household spending Fair Market Rent on a 2-bedroom would pay 19.3% of income on housing. Rent in Fort Wayne has increased 2.2% year over year. The area has a population of 451K, with 29.6% of households renting.

19.3%
Affordable
of income → rent
$1,113
2BR Fair Market Rent
vs $1,250 national median
$69,378
Median Income
vs $71,049 national
$963
Actual Median Rent
Census ACS estimate
+2.2%
Year-over-Year
2BR FMR change
451K
Population
Census ACS
29.6%
Renters
of occupied housing
$194,000
Median Home Value
6.2%
Vacancy Rate
of housing units
11.8%
Poverty Rate
below poverty line

Fair Market Rent by Bedroom Size

$892
Studio
$916
1 Bedroom
$1,113
2 Bedroom
$1,381
3 Bedroom
$1,512
4 Bedroom

Fair Market Rents (FMRs) are set annually by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and represent the 40th percentile of gross rents for standard-quality units in an area. FMRs are used to determine payment standards for the Housing Choice Voucher program and other federal housing assistance.

Housing Affordability

In Fort Wayne, IN, a household earning the area median income of $69,378 would spend 19.3% of their gross income on a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent. This falls below HUD's 30% cost-burden threshold, meaning housing is relatively affordable for median-income households in this area.

Income Needed for 2BR
$44,520
annual (30% threshold)
Hourly Wage Needed
$21
full-time (2,080 hrs/yr)
Actual Median Rent
$963
$150 below FMR

5-Year Rent Trend

+42.0% since 2021
$7842021$8222022$9112023$1,0892024$1,1992025$1,1132026

2-bedroom Fair Market Rent by fiscal year. Source: HUD FMR API.

Minimum Wage Affordability

The minimum wage in Indiana is $7.25/hr. A minimum-wage worker would need to work 118.1 hours per week to afford a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent without exceeding 30% of income on housing. This means a single minimum-wage earner cannot afford a 2-bedroom working a standard 40-hour week. The poverty rate in Fort Wayne is 11.8%, below the national average of approximately 12.4%.

State Min Wage
$7.25/hr
Hours/Week Needed
118.1 hrs
Poverty Rate
11.8%

Housing Market Context

The median home value in Fort Wayne is $194,000. At a median income of $69,378, this represents a price-to-income ratio of 2.8x. 6.2% of housing units in the area are vacant, which is below the national average and suggests a tight housing market.

Rent vs. Buy
$1,358 est. mortgage
vs $1,113 FMR rent
Vacancy Rate
6.2%
of housing units

Other Areas in Indiana

Indianapolis-Carmel
$1,473/mo
2BR FMR · 22.9% burden
Columbus
$1,415/mo
2BR FMR · 21.1% burden
Cincinnati
$1,353/mo
2BR FMR · 20.4% burden
Gary
$1,317/mo
2BR FMR · 17.8% burden
South Bend-Mishawaka
$1,292/mo
2BR FMR · 23.7% burden

Compare Fort Wayne

vs Indianapolis-Carmel, INvs Columbus, INvs Cincinnati, IN

Areas With Similar Rent to Fort Wayne

Frequently Asked Questions

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Fort Wayne, IN is $1,113 per month. A studio is $892/mo, a 1-bedroom is $916/mo, and a 3-bedroom is $1,381/mo. The actual median gross rent from Census data is $963/mo.

Fort Wayne has a rent burden of 19.3%, meaning a household earning the median income of $69,378 would spend 19.3% of income on a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent. This is below HUD's 30% cost-burden threshold, indicating relatively affordable housing. To afford a 2-bedroom without being cost-burdened, a household would need an annual income of at least $44,520.

Fort Wayne's 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,113/mo is $137 below the national median of $1,250/mo. Fort Wayne ranks #474 out of 693 areas for highest rent in the United States.

To afford a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Fort Wayne without spending more than 30% of income on housing, you would need an annual household income of at least $44,520, or a full-time hourly wage of $21/hour. The area median income is $69,378.

The 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Fort Wayne increased by 2.2% compared to the prior year. This is a modest increase, roughly in line with typical housing cost trends.

Fair Market Rents represent the 40th percentile of gross rents for standard-quality rental units. Rent burden is calculated as annual 2BR FMR divided by area median household income. Census data (income, home value, population, vacancy) is from the ACS 5-Year estimates. Unemployment rates are from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics.