Fort Wayne receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Fort Wayne
Lexington-Fayette
Opportunity
78 · Top 13%
vs56 · Top 48%
Growth
71 · Top 17%
vs73 · Top 15%
Climate
62 · Bottom 35%
vs74 · Top 21%
Physical resilience
79 · Top 17%
vs75 · Top 22%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 28%
vs88 · Bottom 31%
Access
57 · Bottom 19%
vs61 · Bottom 22%
Economic stability
80 · Top 14%
vs72 · Top 23%
Measured values
| Metric | Fort Wayne | Lexington-Fayette | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 455,416 | 522,560 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $71,213 | $71,966 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $37,750 | $42,479 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 335/sq mi | 355/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $214,100 | $281,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,003 | $1,138 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 70.3% | 59.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.3% | 4.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.7% | -0.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 30.2% | 42.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.0% | 13.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,815 | 2,436 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.0 | 4.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 11.6% | 10.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 87°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 18°F | 25°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 39.5" | 49.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 75 mi | 67 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.3 min | 23.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.8 | 36.7 | 2024 ACS 5-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
Fort Wayne
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
Lexington-Fayette
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Fort Wayne
75
Your Score
77
Area Score
Lexington-Fayette
71
Your Score
71
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Fort Wayne, IN Metro Area · Lexington-Fayette, KY Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology