Fort Wayne
Investment Analysis

Fort Wayne, IN
Housing Market Screening

City-level home-price and one-bedroom-rent references with transparent methodology and limitations.

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City-level screening

20.9x

Home price / annualized 1BR rent

Gross annual 1BR-rent reference
4.8%
Recorded YoY field
+2.3%

Not cap rate, ROI, valuation or buy-versus-rent advice. City fields may reflect different source years.

Median Home Price
$225,000
Average Rent (1BR)
$895/mo
Median Income
$57,138
Population
271,629

Housing Screening Context

Fort Wayne has a computed screening multiple of 20.9x and a gross annual 1BR-rent reference of 4.8%.

These values compare separate city-level fields, not one matched property. They exclude financing, taxes, insurance, maintenance, vacancy, transaction costs and tenure horizon.

Recorded year-over-year price change: +2.3%. Source period and forecast assumptions should be reviewed before scenario use.

Read the transparent methodology or open the Housing Research Hub.

Rental Cash Flow Analysis

Monthly Income

Gross Rent $895
Annual Gross $10,740

Est. Monthly Expenses

Property Tax (~1.5%) -$281
Insurance (~0.5%) -$94
Maintenance (~1%) -$188
Est. Net Cash Flow $333/mo

Price Forecast 2026โ€“2028

๐Ÿ”ฎ Fort Wayne Price Forecast 2026โ€“2028

Based on 5-year Zillow ZHVI trend analysis ยท Statistical projection
๐Ÿ“ˆ Upward Trend
PROJECTEDNOW$248K2027$270Kโ–ฒ 8.5%2028$283Kโ–ฒ 13.9%20232024Now
$297K$211K
Current
$225K
2026
Projected
$270K
โ†‘ 8.5% by 2027
Projected
$283K
โ†‘ 13.9% by 2028
5yr CAGR:+6.4%
Confidence:High
Rยฒ:0.95
โ–ผ

Looking ahead to the 2026-2028 period, the Fort Wayne housing market forecast points toward a period of normalization rather than the explosive growth seen in the prior five years. The market has cooled from a 5-year price change of 46.5% to a more sustainable YoY increase of just 1.9%. This stabilization is a direct result of affordability constraints, as the current median home price of $234,437 has stretched the price-to-rent ratio to 19.7x, sitting above the national average. For potential buyers asking, will Fort Wayne home prices drop significantly? The data suggests not; the Risk Grade: A and a low Days on Market: 31 indicate strong underlying demand and a lack of distressed inventory that would trigger a crash.

Local economic fundamentals will likely keep the Fort Wayne real estate Fort Wayne 2027 outlook stable. Continued growth in the healthcare and manufacturing sectors, alongside the city's reputation for affordability compared to coastal markets, should sustain steady in-migration. However, the Market Temperature: 66/100 suggests a balanced environment where sellers no longer hold all the cards. While the 7.8% CAGR is unlikely to repeat, the Buy/Rent Verdict: NEUTRAL reflects that owning remains a solid long-term wealth builder in this region, especially given the tight Median Rent: $895/mo supply which keeps rental demand high. Buyers should expect modest appreciation rather than stagnation.

Projected Cap Rate (2027)
2.5%
5yr CAGR
+6.4%

Job Market

Unemployment 3.4%
National avg: 3.7%
Job Growth (YoY) +1.5%

Healthcare

70
Score
Good

Risk Factors

Low Risk Profile

Market Activity

Source: Redfin ยท 2026-05-31
Sale-to-List 98.8%
Months Supply 1.4
Price Drops 40%
Gone in 2 Wks 63%

Market Position

Affordability Below Avg
Safety Average

ROI Projector Model an editable scenario

Adjust the sliders to model different investment scenarios for Fort Wayne.

Total ROI
-47%
on $45,000 invested
Annual ROI
-11.8%
compounded
Total Return
-$21,024
appreciation + cashflow
Mo. Cash Flow
-$886
year 1 estimate
Equity Growth Over 5 Years
Y152kY259kY367kY475kY583k
Appreciation
$27,339
Cash Flow
-$48,364
Final Equity
$82,888

* Estimates based on 2.3% annual appreciation, 3% rent growth, 5% vacancy. Does not include closing costs, tax benefits, or capital gains tax. For illustrative purposes only.

Rental Scenario Calculator Estimate your monthly cashflow

Rental Cash-Flow Scenario

Pre-filled for Fort Wayne

Property

Purchase Price$225,000
Monthly Rent$895
Down Payment20%

Financing

Interest Rate6.5%

Expenses

Property Tax1.2%
Insurance (Annual)$1,500
Maintenance Reserve1%
Vacancy Rate5%
Property Management0%
HOA (Monthly)$0
-$825
Modeled Monthly Cash Flow
-$9,900/ year
-22.0%
Cash-on-Cash
1.7%
Cap Rate

Monthly Breakdown

+ Rental Income$895
โˆ’ Mortgage (P&I)$1,138
โˆ’ Property Tax$225
โˆ’ Insurance$125
โˆ’ Maintenance$188
โˆ’ Vacancy Loss$45
= Net Cash Flow-$825

Scenario Summary

Down Payment
$45,000
Loan Amount
$180,000
Total Monthly Expenses
$1,720
Gross Yield
4.8%

Investor Toolkit

Research Fort Wayne before you invest

Disclaimer: This analysis is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Investment decisions should be made after consulting with qualified professionals. Data sources include Zillow, Census Bureau, and BLS. Cap rates and yields are estimates based on available data.

Last updated: July 2026