Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Aurora, IL
VS
Fort Wayne, IN
🏆 Aurora leads 12 of 23 categories
Aurora
Illinois
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$85,943 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
70 ✓ Safer
Population
181,405
Fort Wayne
Indiana
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$58,233
Violent Crime Index
81
Population
264,514 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Aurora, IL
Pros
Households earn $27,710 more per year on average
13% less violent crime than Fort Wayne
More college-educated — 35.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,462/mo
Cost of living runs 13% higher than Fort Wayne
Longer commutes — 28.6 min average each way
Fort Wayne, IN
Pros
Rent averages $558/mo less ($904 vs $1,462)
Homes cost $89k less ($152,500 vs $241,600)
Commutes run 8 min shorter each way
13% cheaper overall cost of living than Aurora
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.0)
Cons
Median income trails Aurora by $27,710/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Aurora
Median Income
$27,710
$85,943 vs $58,233/yr
Aurora
Violent Crime
13% lower
266.0 vs 307.5 per 100k
Fort Wayne
Cost of Living
13% cheaper
COL index 90.0 vs 102.6 (100 = US avg)
Fort Wayne
Median Home Value
$89k less
$152,500 vs $241,600
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Aurora, IL | Fort Wayne, IN |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.6⚠ High | 90.0 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $241,600 | $152,500 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,462⚠ High | $904 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $85,943 ✓ Higher | $58,233 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.8%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.6 min⚠ High | 21.1 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 12.1% ✓ Higher | 6.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 66 ✓ Safer | 91 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 70 ✓ Safer | 81 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 60 ✓ Safer | 106⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (105) ✓ Better | B (103) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.5:1 | 13.4:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 35.2% ✓ Higher | 28.1% |
| High School or Higher | 80.9% | 88.8% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Indian Prairie CUSD 204 | Fort Wayne Community Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 30.5°F | 32.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 84.0°F | 84.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 39.5" | 38.7" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 27.9" ✓ Less | 33.6" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 181,405 | 264,514 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 35.4 ✓ Older | 35.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 66.8% ✓ Higher | 62.6% |
| Under 18 | 26.7% ✓ More | 24.3% |
| Over 65 | 10.5% | 14.7% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Aurora's cost of living index is 102.6 vs Fort Wayne's 90.0 (US average = 100).
Fort Wayne is 13% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Aurora leads 12 of 23 categories. Aurora wins 12 and Fort Wayne wins 11. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Aurora to Fort Wayne or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($241,600 vs $152,500 median home), income ($85,943 vs $58,233), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Aurora, IL and Fort Wayne, IN are about 170 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.