Fort Lauderdale FL vs Fort Wayne IN — Cost of Living, Crime & Income Comparison 2026

Updated May 2026 · Source: US Census ACS 5-Year (2023), FBI CDE (2023), BLS OEWS (2024)

Fort Lauderdale, FL

Florida · Population: 183,032

  • Median HH Income$79,935
  • Median Home Price$510,297
  • Unemployment5.3%
  • Bachelor's+39.8%

Fort Wayne, IN

Indiana · Population: 266,235

  • Median HH Income$60,293
  • Median Home Price$245,993
  • Unemployment5.5%
  • Bachelor's+28.5%

Detailed Comparison

Demographics

Population
Fort Lauderdale
183,032
Fort Wayne
266,235
Fort Wayne +
Pop. Density / sq mi
Lower = more space
Fort Lauderdale
N/A
Fort Wayne
N/A
Median Age
Fort Lauderdale
42.9
Fort Wayne
35.0
Fort Wayne +
Foreign Born
Fort Lauderdale
26.7%
Fort Lauderdale +
Fort Wayne
9.0%
White
Fort Lauderdale
51.3%
Fort Wayne
66.4%
Fort Wayne +
Black
Fort Lauderdale
28.8%
Fort Lauderdale +
Fort Wayne
14.6%
Asian
Fort Lauderdale
1.6%
Fort Wayne
5.8%
Fort Wayne +
Hispanic
Fort Lauderdale
20.1%
Fort Lauderdale +
Fort Wayne
10.5%
Spanish at Home
Fort Lauderdale
N/A
Fort Wayne
N/A

Economy

Median HH Income
Fort Lauderdale
$79,935
Fort Lauderdale +
Fort Wayne
$60,293
Per Capita Income
Fort Lauderdale
$57,845
Fort Lauderdale +
Fort Wayne
$32,884
Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)
BEA MSA-level
Fort Lauderdale
$65,328
Fort Lauderdale +
Fort Wayne
$58,697
Unemployment Rate
Fort Lauderdale
5.3%
Fort Lauderdale +
Fort Wayne
5.5%
Poverty Rate
Fort Lauderdale
15.2%
Fort Lauderdale +
Fort Wayne
15.6%
Bachelor's Degree+
Fort Lauderdale
39.8%
Fort Lauderdale +
Fort Wayne
28.5%

Housing

Median Home Value
Zillow ZHVI / Census ACS
Fort Lauderdale
$510,297
Fort Wayne
$245,993
Fort Wayne +
Homeownership Rate
Fort Lauderdale
53.8%
Fort Wayne
62.2%
Fort Wayne +

Safety

Violent Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Fort Lauderdale
324
Fort Lauderdale +
Fort Wayne
370
Property Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Fort Lauderdale
1453
Fort Lauderdale +
Fort Wayne
1719

Health

Obesity Rate
CDC PLACES
Fort Lauderdale
30.3%
Fort Lauderdale +
Fort Wayne
40.7%
Diabetes Rate
CDC PLACES
Fort Lauderdale
12.8%
Fort Lauderdale +
Fort Wayne
13.8%
Poor Mental Health
CDC PLACES — 14+ days/month
Fort Lauderdale
16.2%
Fort Lauderdale +
Fort Wayne
18.4%
No Health Insurance
CDC PLACES
Fort Lauderdale
14.7%
Fort Wayne
10.6%
Fort Wayne +
Binge Drinking
CDC PLACES
Fort Lauderdale
14.9%
Fort Lauderdale +
Fort Wayne
16.7%
Current Smokers
CDC PLACES
Fort Lauderdale
13.0%
Fort Lauderdale +
Fort Wayne
15.8%

Climate

Avg Annual Temp
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Fort Lauderdale
75.5°F
Fort Wayne
50.5°F
Fort Wayne +
Annual Precipitation
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Fort Lauderdale
66.5 in
Fort Wayne
38.3 in
Fort Wayne +

Air Quality

PM2.5 Annual Avg
EPA AQS (state-level est.)
Fort Lauderdale
7.2 µg/m³
Fort Lauderdale +
Fort Wayne
10.1 µg/m³
Good Air Days
AQI ≤ 50
Fort Lauderdale
75.0%
Fort Lauderdale +
Fort Wayne
55.0%

Commute

Mean Commute Time
Census ACS
Fort Lauderdale
28.5 min
Fort Wayne
22.8 min
Fort Wayne +

Which City is Right for You?

Fort Lauderdale leads in median household income at $79,935, while fort Wayne offers more affordable housing with a median home price of $245,993. On public safety, Fort Lauderdale is safer with a violent crime rate of 324 per 100,000 residents, compared to 370 in Fort Wayne. Fort Lauderdale has a lower unemployment rate at 5.3%, and Fort Lauderdale has cleaner air (PM2.5 avg 7.2 µg/m³). For overall health outcomes, Fort Lauderdale scores better with a lower obesity rate of 30.3%.

Compare More Cities

About Fort Lauderdale & Fort Wayne