| Measure | Fort WayneIndiana, United States Remove Fort Wayne | Sterling HeightsMichigan, United States Remove Sterling Heights |
|---|---|---|
| Scores (out of 10) | ||
| Overall score | 7.6 | 5.9 |
| Connector Score | 9.1 | 7.2 |
| Safety | 8.6 | 8.5 |
| Affordability | 7.4 | 6.7 |
| Transportation | 10.0 | 4.5 |
| Car-free friendliness | 8.5 | 3.0 |
| Walkability | 8.1 | 3.8 |
| Things to do | 6.7 | 5.2 |
| Food & dining | 6.4 | 5.8 |
| Places to stay | 6.2 | 6.0 |
| Nature & outdoors | 5.5 | 5.0 |
| Scenic value | 6.3 | 6.3 |
| Family friendliness | 7.2 | 5.2 |
| Solo-traveler friendliness | 6.9 | 5.6 |
| Nightlife | 3.9 | 4.8 |
| Remote-work friendliness | 6.2 | 5.4 |
| Road-trip convenience | 6.5 | 6.5 |
| Train-trip convenience | 8.8 | 1.0 |
| Bus-trip convenience | 8.0 | 6.5 |
| Cost (per person per day, USD) | ||
| Budget | $38 | $103 |
| Mid-range | $63 | $150 |
| Luxury | $98 | $263 |
| Living there | ||
| Cost of living index (national = 100) | 91 | 98 |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent | $1,025 | $1,300 |
| Population | 275K | 134K |
| Getting there | ||
| Accessible by | Drive Train Bus Airport | Drive Bus |
| Car recommended | — | — |
| Travel time from Fort Wayne | — | 3 h 32 min details |
| Character | ||
| Best for | Car-free travel | — |
| Known for | Mountains & hiking, Lakes & rivers, Museums & galleries, Historic sites, Food scene, Shopping, Family & kids | Beaches, Lakes & rivers, Food scene, Live music, Shopping |
| When to go | Peak: In summer festival weekends and Septemb… | Peak: Summer and auto-industry business weeks |
Scores and costs are estimates from public data and our own research; check the city pages for sources and dates.