01 · the cities
Fort Wayne
Fort Wayne sits where three rivers meet (the St. Joseph, the St. Marys, and the Maumee), and the riverfront has been transforming into a real public space. The Children's Zoo is consistently ranked among the country's best. It's the second-largest city in Indiana, with the friendly small-town feel still intact. Cheap, easy, and quietly improving.
full dispatch→Springfield
Springfield is the birthplace of Route 66 (the road was officially named in a meeting here in 1926), Bass Pro Shops' world headquarters, and the gateway to the Ozarks. Wonders of Wildlife (next to the Bass Pro store) is genuinely one of the best aquariums in America. The city itself is friendly, affordable, and surprisingly leafy. Branson is 30 miles south for the lake-and-show experience.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$1,187/mo
$1,249/mo
$62/mo more than Fort Wayne (5%)
Median home price
Median home price
$254k
$268k
$14k more than Fort Wayne
State income tax
State income tax
3.0%
4.7%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$6,896/mo
$6,693/mo
Fort Wayne has $203/mo more gross after rent at $100k
Gross left after rent reflects state income tax but not federal, based on $100k salary. Enter your salary to find your ideal city.
03 · the weather
Pleasant days/yr
Pleasant days/yr
161 days
170 days
9 more than Fort Wayne
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
0 days
12 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
38 days
20 days
days below 20°F per year
Springfield has 12 more days above 95°F each year than Fort Wayne. Fort Wayne drops below 20°F on 18 more days per year than Springfield.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
46 / 100
50 / 100
4.0 pts ahead of Fort Wayne
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
10 routes
9 routes
Metro size
Metro size
458k metro
491k metro
Fort Wayne has 1.3x more events per month than Springfield.
the verdict
5
Fort Wayne
categories won
3
Springfield
categories won
Fort Wayne wins on money. Springfield has the edge on weather and lifestyle.
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