Fort Wayne

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Fort Wayne, IN

Area Guide

Hoosier hospitality in the heart of the Midwest

Suburban Affordable Family-Friendly Historic Convenient

Fort Wayne combines Midwestern hospitality with city amenities along its three rivers - St. Marys, St. Joseph, and Maumee. The city features 86 public parks and 180 miles of trails for outdoor enthusiasts. Downtown's cultural district is home to the Embassy Theatre, Fort Wayne Museum of Art, and Headwaters Park, which hosts community events throughout the year. Housing options range from downtown lofts in historic buildings to residential communities in Southwest Fort Wayne and Aboite. The rental market remains affordable, with average one-bedroom apartments renting for $932, showing a modest 1.4% annual increase, while two-bedroom units average $1,226 with a 2.9% year-over-year rise.

The city's heritage as a frontier outpost continues to evolve, as shown by the Electric Works development in the former General Electric complex. Notable attractions include Purdue University Fort Wayne, Indiana Tech, the Fort Wayne Children's Zoo, and the Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory. The West Central Historic District showcases preserved Victorian architecture, while The Landing along Columbia Street features apartments above local businesses in restored buildings. Fort Wayne's connection to sports history runs deep - the NBA was founded here in 1948 when the merger creating the league was signed. The city continues to grow while maintaining its historic character, offering renters a mix of downtown energy and neighborhood appeal.

Explore the City

The impressive Allen County Courthouse is a historic landmark completed in 1902

The historic Fort Wayne Cathedral was built in 1860

Lakeside Park & Rose Garden features more than 150 varieties of roses and more than 2,000 plants

Headwaters Park includes an impressive fountain, bike paths, and an ice-skating rink

Rent Trends

As of December 2025, the average apartment rent in Fort Wayne, IN is $801 for a studio, $965 for one bedroom, $1,222 for two bedrooms, and $1,459 for three bedrooms. Apartment rent in Fort Wayne has increased by 2.2% in the past year.

Property Type
Average Rent
Average Sq Ft
Apartment
$965/month
685 Sq Ft
House
$1,459/month
1,208 Sq Ft
Condo
$1,355/month
926 Sq Ft
Townhome
$1,328/month
1,008 Sq Ft
See Rental Market Trends in Fort Wayne, IN

Cost of Living

The cost of living in Fort Wayne, IN is 7.9% lower than the national average. Generally, housing in Fort Wayne is 19.1% less expensive than the national average, with rent falling between $801 - $1,463. You can expect to pay 1.0% less for groceries, 7.3% less for utilities, and 0.3% more for transportation.

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Transportation

39

Car-Dependent

out of 100 WalkScore® Rating

This area is considered a car-dependent area and most errands will require a car.

26

Some Transit

out of 100 TransitScore® Rating

You'll likely want a car when living in this area since it has few transit options.

43

Somewhat Bikeable

out of 100 BikeScore® Rating

You might be able to find places to ride your bike in this area, but you’ll most likely want your car for most errands.

Schools

Cedarville Elementary School

Public

Grades K-3

789 Students

Aboite Elementary School

Public

Grades PK-5

470 Students

Deer Ridge Elementary

Public

Grades K-5

437 Students

Lincoln Elementary School

Public

Grades K-5

616 Students

Weisser Park Elementary School

Public

Grades 1-5

591 Students

Maple Creek Middle School

Public

Grades 6-8

957 Students

Woodside Middle School

Public

Grades 6-8

1,003 Students

Carroll Middle School

Public

Grades 6-8

994 Students

Summit Middle School

Public

Grades 6-8

866 Students

Blackhawk Middle School

Public

Grades 6-8

797 Students

Homestead Senior High School

Public

Grades 9-12

2,470 Students

East Allen University

Public

Grades 9-12

302 Students

Carroll High School

Public

Grades PK & 9-12

2,554 Students

R Nelson Snider High School

Public

Grades 9-12

1,899 Students

Northrop High School

Public

Grades 9-12

2,136 Students

Points of Interest

Parks and Recreation

  • Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory
  • Science Central
  • Fort Wayne Children's Zoo
  • E.C. Schouweller Planetarium
  • Fox Island County Park

Commuter Rail

Airports

  • Fort Wayne International

Top Apartments in Fort Wayne

Houses for Rent in Fort Wayne

Property Management Companies in Fort Wayne, IN

Living in Fort Wayne

Restaurants

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Fort Wayne is a rich melting pot of various cultures and ethnicities for a city its size. This diversity is reflected in the many fantastic dining opportunities available in the city. A sizable Asian population provides an abundance of Chinese, Japanese, Thai and Korean cuisine. A chef will prepare your dinner in front of you at Takaoka of Japan. Takaoka is one of many great family style restaurants owned by the Don Hall family. If you're looking for authentic Italian, the Italian Connection on Taylor Street features made from scratch dishes prepared by an Italian chef who occasionally comes out of the kitchen to sing Sinatra for his guests. Chappell's Coral Grill provides mouth-watering seafood in an elegant atmosphere. Across the street on Jefferson Blvd, Chops Steak and Seafood serves up great steaks and a famous house salad. For more casual dining you shouldn't miss Fort Wayne's Coney Island. This vintage restaurant opened in 1914 and serves the famous Coney Dog on a steamed bun along with burgers, chili, and coke from little glass bottles.

Parks

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The Fort Wayne Children's Zoo is consistently rated among the best children's zoos in the Midwest. Feature attractions include lions, tigers, and wild orangutans. The Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory features a gorgeous tropical garden, a beautiful desert and a variety of seasonal displays in downtown Fort Wayne. Within walking distance of the conservatory is the historic Embassy Theater, the Grand Wayne Center, and Parkview Field Baseball Stadium. The Fort Wayne library offers extensive genealogical databases and a variety of activities for children. Every year in July, Fort Wayne hosts the Three Rivers Festival, one of the largest, most diverse festivals in northern Indiana. For nine days the festival features a giant midway, musical entertainment, a craft fair, a food alley and fireworks. The festival even sponsors contests such as a waiter and waitress contest, a bed race and a raft race.

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Methodology

† Our analysis of utilities, groceries, transportation, healthcare, home prices, and other goods and services is sourced from the Cost of Living Index, a respected benchmark published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) that provides a thorough overview of living expenses across different regions.

Rent data is provided by CoStar Group’s Market Trend reports. As the industry leader in commercial real estate information, analytics, and news, CoStar conducts extensive research to produce and maintain a comprehensive database of commercial real estate information. We combine this data with public record to provide the most up-to-date rental information available.

Consumer goods, services, and home prices are sourced from the Cost of Living Index published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER). The data on this page is updated quarterly. It was last published in November 2025.