Fort Wayne

About Fort Wayne

Fort Wayne, in northeastern Indiana, is one of the state's largest cities. It has won several awards for its excellent livability and has also been named an All-America City on several occasions. Although it's less well-known than nearby Indianapolis, Fort Wayne has plenty of amenities, a growing population and a distinct personality all its own.

Living in Fort Wayne

Once inhabited by the indigenous Miami tribe, one of the Algonquian tribes, Fort Wayne has since grown to become a thriving metropolis. You'll find that it has a rich cultural arts scene and diverse leisure and entertainment activities. On any given day in Fort Wayne, you can visit galleries, explore art museums with both modern and classical art, enjoy minor league baseball games, tour historic sites on a Segway or play golf at one of several golf courses.

The city plays host to conventions and events at the Auer Center for Arts and Culture, home to a large performance hall and gallery space. It's also a regional hub for many industries, including health, with Parkview Health Systems as the leading employer in the city. Corporations including General Motors also have satellite offices in the city. Although the city's job market did suffer during the Great Recession, it's slowly rebuilding, and a variety of jobs are becoming available.

Neighborhoods in Fort Wayne

Here are a few of the great neighborhoods Fort Wayne has to offer:

Aboite

This neighborhood is one of the newer communities in Fort Wayne, so you'll find a variety of options for modern shopping, dining and entertainment. It's also near the Eagle Marsh Nature Preserve, a 700-acre marshland that's home to hundreds of species of native wildlife.

Downtown

Fort Wayne's downtown area is the cultural heart of the city, with a blend of historic buildings and modern high-rises. There are festivals nearly every weekend in the summer months, including the Cherry Blossom Festival and Germanfest.

Grabill

The Grabill community is a small pocket in northeast Fort Wayne where a large Amish population has settled. You can explore Amish goods stores, antique shops and authentic Amish restaurants.

Northwest Fort Wayne

The northwest area of Fort Wayne is constantly growing and changing and has a number of family-friendly activities. Crazy Pinz is one of the most popular family entertainment spots in the area, featuring a rock climbing wall, archery tag and bowling.

Fort Wayne Schools

Fort Wayne Community Schools manages the public schools in the city and is one of the largest districts in the state. There are also several schools served by Amish Parochial Schools of Indiana, mainly in the city's outlying rural areas. If you'd prefer to enroll your child in a private school, Fort Wayne has several parochial institutions.

If you're considering pursuing higher education in Fort Wayne, there are several options available, including public and private universities as well as two-year community colleges.

Resources for Moving to Fort Wayne

Here is some basic information to help make your move to Fort Wayne easier:

• Utilities: City Utilities manages water and sewer services in Fort Wayne. Northern Indiana Public Service Company provides natural gas, and American Electric Power is the local power supplier.
• Garbage and Recycling: Regular curbside collection of trash and recyclables is available throughout Fort Wayne.
• Transportation: There are several public bus routes throughout the city, and students can use a free shuttle service in limited areas. There's also a small bike-sharing program with a handful of stations.

Fort Wayne Housing

The housing market in Fort Wayne offers a range of options to fit your needs. There are diverse listings, from single-family homes in cozy neighborhoods to modern high-rise apartments in the downtown area. The median home and rent prices are significantly lower than national averages, though they have been slowly rising over the past several years. During the summer, prices tend to be slightly higher due to increased demand.