Signals
Bluffton
Fort Wayne
Opportunity
73 · Top 17%
vs73 · Top 17%
Climate
62 · Bottom 20%
vs62 · Bottom 20%
Physical resilience
76 · Top 30%
vs77 · Top 28%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 8%
vs96 · Top 18%
Schools
63 · Top 35%
vs36 · Bottom 30%
Access
56 · Bottom 5%
vs57 · Bottom 6%
Economic stability
65 · Top 41%
vs53 · Bottom 37%
Measured values
| Metric | Bluffton | Fort Wayne | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 10,529 | 268,589 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $57,539 | $61,422 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $32,779 | $33,812 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,235/sq mi | 2,403/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $149,600 | $188,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $732 | $999 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 62.0% | 61.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 2.9% | 3.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.0% | 0.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.7% | 29.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.5% | 16.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 84°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 18°F | 18°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 39.5" | 39.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 77 mi | 74 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.3 min | 22.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.9 | 35.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 4 | 74 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.22 | 14.91 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 45.3% | 31.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 41.2% | 34.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 49.1% | 51.8% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Bluffton
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, earthquake.
Fort Wayne
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Bluffton
71
Your Score
—
Area Score
Fort Wayne
65
Your Score
—
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Bluffton, IN · Fort Wayne, IN · How this is calculated: methodology