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METRO AREA

Fort Wayne Metro

Fort Wayne, IN · 3 counties · 466,258 residents (2025 est.) · 1,361 sq mi
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The short version

Fort Wayne is a metro area of 455,416 people. That puts it in the top 8% of US metro areas for household income. The typical home is worth $214,162, having more than doubled since 2000. 7% of residents were born outside the United States. The population is up 17% since 2000. Renters pay $1,001 a month at the median.

At a glance
Lower income
median household income $71,372, below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 36.8
US median: 38.9
Less educated
30% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 34%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place

What stands out about Fort Wayne

What changed most since 1990

  • Poverty rate7.5% → 12.0% (+4.5 pts)US over the same years: −0.8 pts

Among the 37 metro and micro areas based in Indiana

  • 11th in household income$71,372
  • 6th in share with a bachelor's degree30.3%
  • 9th in home value$214,162
  • 4th in diversity score55.2
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
455,416
+17%since 2000
from 390,156 in 2000
466,258 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Population density
335 / sq mi
+17%since 2000
from 287 / sq mi in 2000
US average: 281
Median age
36.8
+7%since 2000
from 34.5 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
1,361 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
344K375K405K435K466K19902000201020202024Fort Wayne
2024455K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 56.6%(30,099)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 97%(31,718)
US avg: 6%
10 to 147.2%(32,850)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 196.8%(30,815)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 246.4%(29,051)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3413.9%(63,290)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4412.7%(57,611)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5411.6%(52,928)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6411.8%(53,835)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 749.7%(44,209)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 844.5%(20,313)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over1.9%(8,697)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$71,372
−9%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $42,983 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$37,750
+77%since 2000
from $21,295 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
47.4%
+20.8 ptssince 2009
from 26.5% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
12.0%
+3.4 ptssince 2000
from 8.6% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.443
+5%since 2010
from 0.422 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Retail trade19.6%
US avg: 9.9%
Information11.6%
US avg: 10.8%
Wholesale trade6%
US avg: 6.9%
Other services6%
US avg: 6.7%
Finance & insurance5.6%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical5%
US avg: 5.1%
Public administration4.5%
US avg: 4.8%
Transportation & warehousing2.3%
US avg: 2.2%
Arts, entertainment, food1.1%
US avg: 1.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.7%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction0.6%
US avg: 1.2%
Education & health services0.6%
US avg: 0.9%
Manufacturing0.1%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$214,162
+34%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $87,918 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,001
+10%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $498 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
70.3%
−2.4 ptssince 2000
from 72.7% in 2000
29.7% rent
Vacancy rate
5.8%
−4.1 ptssince 2009
from 10.0% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Persons per household
2.46 people
−2%since 2009
from 2.50 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
Owner cost-burdened
14.8%
−4.3 ptssince 2009
from 19.1% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
42.3%
+2.3 ptssince 2009
from 40.1% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
3.0
+32%since 2009
from 2.3 in 2009
1990 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
51
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic83.7%(326,656)
Black9.5%(37,247)
Hispanic / Latino3.7%(14,550)
Asian1.2%(4,708)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic72.9%(331,852)
Black9.1%(41,465)
Hispanic / Latino8.2%(37,498)
Asian4.6%(20,955)
Other5.2%(23,646)
Diversity Score
55
+37%since 2009
from 40 in 2009
1990 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
41
−11%since 2020
from 46 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican5.6%(25,592)
Central American1.1%(5,175)
Guatemalan0.8%(3,205)
Puerto Rican0.6%(2,952)
South American0.3%(1,444)
Salvadoran0.3%(1,121)
Colombian0.2%(710)
Honduran0.1%(345)
Spaniard0.1%(336)
Venezuelan0.1%(317)
Cuban0.1%(287)
Nicaraguan0.1%(252)
+ 8 more hispanic origin groups with data
Panamanian0.1%(237)
Ecuadorian0.1%(230)
Peruvian0%(95)
Argentine0%(60)
Bolivian0%(18)
Dominican0%(16)
Chilean0%(14)
Asian origin
Burmese2.2%(9,287)
Asian Indian0.6%(2,626)
Filipino0.4%(1,999)
Chinese0.4%(1,610)
Vietnamese0.3%(1,538)
Laotian0.1%(599)
Korean0.1%(559)
Thai0.1%(401)
Pakistani0.1%(387)
Kazakh0.1%(270)
Malaysian0%(176)
Japanese0%(149)
+ 7 more asian origin groups with data
Pacific Islander origin
Chamorro0%(35)
Samoan0%(34)
Ancestry
German25.8%(117,300)
English10.1%(46,096)
Irish9.2%(41,960)
American5.4%(24,755)
French2.6%(11,645)
Italian2.1%(9,520)
Polish2%(9,033)
Scottish1.9%(8,541)
Swiss1.3%(5,854)
Dutch1.2%(5,369)
Swedish0.9%(4,305)
Norwegian0.7%(3,034)
+ 49 more ancestry groups with data
Welsh0.6%(2,815)
Scotch-Irish0.6%(2,664)
Hungarian0.4%(2,035)
Arab0.4%(1,637)
British0.3%(1,323)
Russian0.2%(1,068)
Greek0.2%(1,026)
Canadian0.2%(805)
West Indian0.2%(753)
Austrian0.2%(730)
Danish0.1%(675)
Romanian0.1%(650)
Croatian0.1%(634)
Czech0.1%(613)
Belgian0.1%(573)
Ukrainian0.1%(560)
Lebanese0.1%(542)
Syrian0.1%(481)
Finnish0.1%(416)
Macedonian0.1%(401)
Slovak0.1%(385)
Kenyan0.1%(370)
Jamaican0.1%(341)
Portuguese0.1%(299)
Lithuanian0.1%(291)
Nigerian0.1%(257)
Brazilian0.1%(245)
Ethiopian0.1%(237)
Slovene0%(171)
Serbian0%(166)
Turkish0%(156)
Moroccan0%(129)
Ghanaian0%(124)
Haitian0%(124)
Iranian0%(100)
Latvian0%(80)
Barbadian0%(67)
Israeli0%(60)
Bulgarian0%(53)
Jordanian0%(52)
Egyptian0%(39)
Somali0%(34)
Iraqi0%(33)
Armenian0%(25)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
30.3%
+8.9 ptssince 2000
from 21.4% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
90.7%
+4.8 ptssince 2000
from 85.8% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
9.9%
+2.7 ptssince 2000
from 7.2% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
22.1 min
+73%since 2000
from 12.8 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
78.3%
−6.9 ptssince 2009
from 85.2% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
9.5%
+1.0 ptssince 2009
from 8.5% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.6%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 0.6% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
9.0%
+5.9 ptssince 2009
from 3.0% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
1.3%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 1.4% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.3%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
6.4%
+0.5 ptssince 2009
from 5.9% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
4.5%
−4.5 ptssince 2011
from 9.0% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
66.2%
−1.2 ptssince 2011
from 67.4% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
75.8%
+0.1 ptssince 2020
from 75.7% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
10.9%
+1.5 ptssince 2009
from 9.5% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
37.6%
+6.1 ptssince 2009
from 31.4% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
49.3%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 49.2% in 2009
Female
50.7%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 50.8% in 2009
Foreign born
6.9%
+2.3 ptssince 2009
from 4.6% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
6.2%
−3.7 ptssince 2009
from 9.9% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
12.7%
+2.0 ptssince 2012
from 10.7% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
8.0%
−6.2 ptssince 2013
from 14.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
90.6%
+12.8 ptssince 2017
from 77.8% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
95.0%
+3.0 ptssince 2020
from 92.0% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
86.5%
+0.8 ptssince 2020
from 85.7% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
English only at home
89.0%
−1.9 ptssince 2016
from 90.8% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
5.0%
+0.6 ptssince 2016
from 4.4% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married34.7%(61,170)
Married51.7%(91,020)
Widowed2.8%(4,854)
Divorced10.8%(18,989)
Women 15+
Never married29.7%(54,793)
Married49.6%(91,697)
Widowed8.2%(15,139)
Divorced12.5%(23,087)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
8.0%
−6.2 ptssince 2013
from 14.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
57.7%
−1.7 ptssince 2020
from 59.4% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
11.1%
−0.6 ptssince 2020
from 11.7% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
17.2%
+0.5 ptssince 2020
from 16.6% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
20.0%
+1.5 ptssince 2020
from 18.5% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
2.1%
−0.3 ptssince 2020
from 2.4% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
67.3%
−2.5 ptssince 2020
from 69.8% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
35.5%
+2.0 ptssince 2020
from 33.5% in 2020
US average: 36.7%

Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.

Section 09 · Service history

Veterans

Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)25.7%(5,445)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)22.6%(4,792)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era33.9%(7,169)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War5.7%(1,209)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II1.6%(339)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 21,161 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Over time

Fort Wayne, decade by decade

Fort Wayne population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
YearPopulationMedian household incomeMedian home valueBachelor's degree+Diversity score
1990354,435$76,173$141,08017.7%25.3
2000390,156$78,301$160,15721.4%36.0
2010416,257$70,327$163,73524.5%44.4
2020447,781$69,977$166,77227.8%55.6
2024455,416$71,372$214,16230.3%55.2

Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.

In this metro

Largest cities

Fort WayneCENTRAL275,203New Haven16,337Huntertown11,600Bluffton10,583Columbia City10,256Leo-Cedarville3,790Ossian3,448Churubusco1,853South Whitley1,850Woodburn1,628Monroeville1,355Harlan1,254Grabill1,168Tri-Lakes1,025Hoagland845Zanesville600Uniondale274Larwill274Poneto178Vera Cruz71
What's inside

3 component counties

Allen CountyCENTRAL402,329Whitley County35,046Wells County28,883
Drill deeper

Metros similar to Fort Wayne

Springfield
Pop 464,338
Visalia
Pop 485,146
Lansing
Pop 479,722
Asheville
Pop 422,345
Places similar to Fort Wayne
Head to head

Compare Fort Wayne side by side

FORT WAYNE VS
Springfield
Income$71,306same
Home value$298,800+40%
Population464,338same
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
FORT WAYNE VS
Visalia
Income$71,300same
Home value$330,100+54%
Population485,146+4%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
FORT WAYNE VS
Lansing
Income$72,596+2%
Home value$213,204same
Population479,722+3%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
FORT WAYNE VS
Asheville
Income$71,812+1%
Home value$374,605+75%
Population422,345−9%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Fort Wayne, IN?

Fort Wayne, IN has about 455,416 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Fort Wayne, IN?

The typical household in Fort Wayne, IN earns about $71,372 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Fort Wayne, IN expensive?

In Fort Wayne, IN, the median home is worth about $214,162, and the typical rent is about $1,001 a month.

How educated are people in Fort Wayne, IN?

About 30.3% of adults age 25 and over in Fort Wayne, IN hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Fort Wayne, IN?

About 12.0% of people in Fort Wayne, IN live below the federal poverty line.

Has Fort Wayne, IN grown since 1990?

Yes, Fort Wayne, IN has grown since 1990. The population has added about 100,981 residents, a change of about 28 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · METRO ROLLUP OF COMPONENT COUNTIES · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →

Fort Wayne, IN: population, income & housing data · CensusEasy