The Fort Wayne metro is home to 451,440 people (up 4.6% over five years), with a median household income of $69,378. Typical rent of $1,266/month works out to 21.9% of the median household income — comfortably below the 30% affordability threshold (Census ACS + Zillow, September 2026).
The share of Fort Wayne's workforce by sector — the base of tenant demand:
| Sector | % of workforce |
|---|---|
| Education & health care | 24.2% |
| Manufacturing | 19.7% |
| Retail trade | 11.7% |
| Professional & management | 7.8% |
| Arts, food & hospitality | 7.3% |
Education & health care is the metro's largest employment base — sectors like education and health care are recession-resilient anchors for rental demand.
Rents at 21.9% of median income leave room for rent growth without pricing out the median tenant. Market pricing, yields and the Star Score live on the Fort Wayne market page; run a deal in the calculator.
At the 30%-of-income affordability rule, typical rent of $1,266/month suggests a household income around $51,000/year. The metro's median household income is $69,378.
By workforce share: Education & health care (24.2%), Manufacturing (19.7%), Retail trade (11.7%) (Census ACS 5-year).