The Town FilesFort Wayne, Indiana
City in Allen County · population 263,886 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $188,900
- Household income
- $61,422
- Jan low / Jul high
- 18° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 34 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 21
- Median age
- 35.0
Fort Wayne is a city of 263,886 people in Allen County, Indiana. The median home is worth $188,900, above the typical Indiana town ($150,400). It ranks more vibrant than 92% of Indiana towns, better transit than 92% of Indiana towns, better for young professionals than 89% of Indiana towns.
How Fort Wayne ranks
Percentile among Indiana towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Indiana towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Fort Wayne is worth $188,900, above the typical Indiana town ($150,400). Homes cost about 3.1 times the median household income of $61,422, which is more affordable than 19% of Indiana towns. Median rent is $999 a month. 61.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Fort Wayne | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $188,900 | $150,400 |
| Median rent | $999 | $888 |
| Median household income | $61,422 | $61,953 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.1× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 61.9% | 73.4% |
| Median year built | 1972 | 1966 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.2% | — |
Who lives in Fort Wayne
| People | Fort Wayne | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.0 | 38.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.2% | 17.1% |
| Under 18 | 24.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29.0% | 17.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 16.0% | 11.6% |
| Veterans | 5.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 9.0% | — |
| Work from home | 9.0% | 6.2% |
| Average commute | 21.5 min | 24.7 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.6% | 89.2% |
Weather in Fort Wayne
July highs average 84.1°F and January lows 18.4°F. About 39.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 33.6 inches of snow (typical Indiana town: 21.1 in). Expect about 16 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 124 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
21 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Fort Wayne since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Indiana town. 7 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on May 16, 1968 about 3.0 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 13 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on July 29, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 94 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on June 15, 1964.
Severe weather in Allen County since 1996
Allen County has been included in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 15, 2026 | Flood | EM-3651: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3641: Severe Winter Storm |
| April 15, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4704: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| April 3, 2020 | Biological | DR-4515: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3456: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Allen County
Allen County had 197,885 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $60,129 a year. Unemployment was 3.1% in 2023; in Fort Wayne itself the ACS puts it at 5.6%.
Public schools in Fort Wayne
75 public schools with 46,149 students, about 14.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carroll High School | 9-12 | 2,580 | 17.3 |
| Homestead High School | 9-12 | 2,408 | 17.4 |
| Northrop High School | 9-12 | 2,158 | 16.7 |
| R Nelson Snider High School | 9-12 | 1,915 | 17.6 |
| North Side High School | 9-12 | 1,460 | 16.8 |
| South Side High School | 9-12 | 1,459 | 16.0 |
| Wayne High School | 9-12 | 1,417 | 14.8 |
| Carroll Middle School | 6-8 | 1,025 | 19.7 |
| Woodside Middle School | 6-8 | 1,022 | 17.6 |
| Maple Creek Middle School | 6-8 | 1,016 | 21.2 |
| Summit Middle School | 6-8 | 818 | 15.4 |
| Blackhawk Middle School | 6-8 | 786 | 15.7 |
Towns near Fort Wayne
- New Haven, IN6.7 mi · 15,583 people · home $166,900
- Huntertown, IN9.0 mi · 9,141 people · home $298,200
- Leo-Cedarville, IN11.1 mi · 3,624 people · home $370,100
- Ossian, IN14.7 mi · 3,266 people · home $201,500
- Columbia City, IN18.2 mi · 9,892 people · home $189,100
- Garrett, IN18.3 mi · 6,542 people · home $154,200
- Auburn, IN19.8 mi · 13,412 people · home $190,800
- Decatur, IN21.1 mi · 9,913 people · home $142,800
Fort Wayne questions
Is Fort Wayne, Indiana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Fort Wayne scores better for retirees than 15% of Indiana towns and quieter than 5%. 15.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.0).
How much does a house cost in Fort Wayne?
The median owner-occupied home in Fort Wayne is valued at $188,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $61,422, so homes cost about 3.1 times income. Median rent is $999 a month.
What is the weather like in Fort Wayne?
July highs average 84.1°F and January lows 18.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 39.5 inches of precipitation a year and 33.6 inches of snow.
Does Fort Wayne get tornadoes?
21 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Fort Wayne since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on May 16, 1968. The typical Indiana town has had 23.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)