Fort Wayne Kenosha

Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources

Verdict
Less Favorable
Cost Index: 92.6 → 101.1
Rent Delta: +$289/mo

Pros of Moving

  • + $7K higher median salary
  • + Better student-teacher ratios

Cons of Moving

  • - 9% higher cost of living
  • - $289/mo more expensive rent (2BR)
  • - More environmental violations

Moving from Fort Wayne to Kenosha shifts your BEA Regional Price Parity from 92.6 to 101.1 (100 = US average), so a Fort Wayne salary needs to be multiplied by 1.09 to hold the same purchasing power in Kenosha. On rent, HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom goes from $1,113/month in Fort Wayne to $1,402/month in Kenosha - a higher monthly bill of $289, or $3,468/year. That rent delta alone is often the single biggest line item when relocating.

Wages tell the other half. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics report a median salary of $61,404 in Fort Wayne versus $68,406 in Kenosha - a raw gap of $7,002 higher. The Kenosha labor market has 69,670 tracked jobs against 217,390 in Fort Wayne, shaping how easy it is to find a comparable role. Combine that with the cost-of-living shift above and you get the real purchasing-power delta, sometimes a "higher salary" is actually a pay cut once rent and RPP are applied.

Safety, schools, and childcare round out the move. FBI UCR violent crime rates near Fort Wayne and Kenosha are 308 and 280 per 100,000 (state-level). NCES student-teacher ratios run 15.9:1 at origin versus 14.4:1 at destination. Our composite verdict - Less Favorable - weighs all seven federal sources; the dimension table below lets you override that with your personal priorities.

Dimension
Fort Wayne
Kenosha
Winner
💰 Cost of Living
RPP 92.6
RPP 101.1
Fort Wayne
🏠 Rent (2BR)
$1,113/mo
$1,402/mo
Fort Wayne
💼 Wages
$61,404
$68,406
Kenosha
🔒 Crime
308 per 100K
280 per 100K
Kenosha
🎓 Schools
15.9:1
14.4:1
Kenosha
👶 Childcare
N/A
$11,256/yr
Tie
🌿 Environment
1467 violations
2233 violations
Fort Wayne

Salary Adjustment Calculator

Enter your current salary in Fort Wayne to see what you'd need to earn in Kenosha to maintain the same purchasing power.

Equivalent salary in Kenosha
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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Kenosha more expensive than Fort Wayne?
Kenosha has an RPP of 101.1 compared to Fort Wayne's 92.6 (100 = national average). Kenosha is more expensive overall. The 2BR rent in Kenosha is $1,402/mo vs $1,113/mo in Fort Wayne.
What are salaries like in Kenosha compared to Fort Wayne?
The median salary in Kenosha is $68,406 compared to $61,404 in Fort Wayne. That's a +$7,002 difference.
Is Kenosha safer than Fort Wayne?
The violent crime rate near Kenosha is 280 per 100K vs 308 per 100K near Fort Wayne (state-level data). Kenosha has a lower crime rate.
How much would I need to earn in Kenosha to match my Fort Wayne salary?
To maintain the same purchasing power, multiply your Fort Wayne salary by 1.09. For example, a $75,000 salary in Fort Wayne would need to be $81,924 in Kenosha. Use the salary calculator above for your exact figure.
What does the "Less Favorable" verdict mean?
The verdict is computed from 7 dimensions, cost of living, rent, wages, crime, schools, childcare, and environment, using federal data. "Less Favorable" means the origin edges ahead on balance. Individual priorities may shift the balance, weigh the dimensions that matter most to you.

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Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents, BLS OES, FBI UCR, NCES, DOL, EPA June 2026

Data Sources

  • Cost of Living: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities
  • Rent: HUD Fair Market Rents (FMR)
  • Wages: Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES)
  • Crime: FBI Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) - state level
  • Schools: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
  • Childcare: Department of Labor (DOL) - state level
  • Environment: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)