Real Estate Investing in Fort Wayne, Indiana (46845)

Everything the listing leaves out — vacancy, rent trend, cap rate, landlord climate. All free.

Allen County • Population: 28,664 • Data updated: September 2026

☆ Watch this market Free account

Should you buy in 46845 (Fort Wayne, IN)? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
GOOD FIT
Grade B (76/100)

Solid choice — stable market with a reasonable entry point and good rental backup if you ever need to move.

📈 For Investors
MIXED
3.0 / 5 (47/100)

A middle-of-the-road market. Workable, but the best opportunities may be nearby ZIPs rather than this one.

⚠️ Risks to Know
CLEAN

No major risk flags on the data we track.

What’s happening in Fort Wayne, IN (46845)?

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3.0/ 5

Investability

Overall investment appeal

2.0/ 5

Appreciation

Long-term value growth

3.0/ 5

Cashflow ROI

Rental yield potential

Avg Home Value $394,819
Avg Monthly Rent $1,806
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $109,494
% Renters 13.5%

Market Analysis: 46845 Fort Wayne

This part of Allen County is not an easy win. The 46845 ZIP clocks in at softness in key indicators, and the playbook that works in cleaner markets often stalls here.

Rent of $1,806/mo on a $395K basis reads well until vacancy, delinquency, and capex enter the model. The honest cap rate in 46845 sits below the stated 0.0% once reality is priced in.

ZIP 46845's metrics run below Allen County's averages on price growth and tenant stability. Investors who ignore that regional gap tend to relearn it the hard way.

Who lives in 46845 is part of why the ZIP is priced as it is. The demographic profile requires hands-on management, tight screening, and local knowledge.

New investors are better served looking at Fort Wayne's stable or hybrid ZIPs before stepping into 46845. The learning curve here is expensive when the lesson is wrong.

Explore the Data — Click a Tab Below
🏦 Current 30-yr Fixed Mortgage Rate: 6.76% as of Sep 10 Source: Freddie Mac PMMS

Here's what matters if you're considering buying a home in Fort Wayne:

C+ Average
Buy Confidence Score: 69/100
Affordability
15/25
Appreciation
18/25
Stability
13/20
Timing
8/15
Rental backup
15/15
Affordability
Moderate
Homes cost 3.6× the median income
Value Trend
Rising (+4.8%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $1,806/mo if you need to move
Market Conditions
BALANCED
Even conditions for buyers and sellers
Bottom Line: Mixed signals in this market. Research specific properties carefully and be prepared to negotiate.
⚖️
BALANCED MARKET
Fort Wayne, IN Metro Area
Even conditions for buyers and sellers
28 days
Average time to sell
Fast
13.6%
Listings with price cuts
Few Cuts
0.0%
Sale price vs asking
Below Ask
0.0%
Income needed for mortgage
Affordable
📅 Market conditions as of August 29, 2026 — updated weekly from Fort Wayne, IN metro data
🏠

Property Strategy for 46845

Which property type performs best in this market?

Best for Cash Flow
2BR
4.2% cap rate
Best for Appreciation
2BR
+8.2% 5yr CAGR
Best Overall Value
4BR
$103,120/bedroom
📊 Compare All Property Types →
Type Median Value Est. Rent Cap Rate 5yr CAGR $/Bedroom
2BR $270,692 $1,580 4.2% +8.2% $135,346
3BR $338,364 $1,960 4.2% +6.7% $112,788
4BR $412,480 $2,150 3.8% +6.5% $103,120
5BR $573,995 +6.8% $114,799

Market Trends

Home Value History (with trend line)

$412K$363K$314K$265K$217K$168KJul 2006Jul 2016Jul 2026

Rent History (with trend line)

$1,847$1,796$1,745$1,694$1,643$1,592Jan 2025Oct 2025Jul 2026

📊 How Does 46845 Compare?

Metric 46845 Fort Wayne Fort Wayne, IN Indiana
Home Value $394,819 $94,884 N/A $248,442
5-Year CAGR 4.9% 7.0% N/A 7.7%
Avg Rent $1,806 $1,291 N/A -
Cap Rate 3.6% 4.5% - -
💡 Why Invest in 46845? Click to expand

With a 3/5 investability rating, this ZIP shows solid fundamentals for buy-and-hold investors.

📊 See where this ZIP ranks in our Best-of lists →
A great house in the wrong ZIP is still a bad deal — screen every market by cash flow & cap rate.
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Landlord Ground Truth

Real numbers from people who own or manage rentals in ZIP 46845 (Fort Wayne, IN). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

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Investability
Good
Cap Rate
3.6%
Low
5yr Growth
+4.9%
Moderate

📉 Market Crash Risk Index

Based on Fort Wayne, IN metro

0/10
Low Risk
Price YoY
0/3
N/A
Rent YoY
0/2
N/A
Below List
0/3
45%
Days Pending
0/2
28 days

View all metro crash risk rankings →

📊 Market Snapshot

Home Value $394,819
Monthly Rent $1,806
Price-to-Rent 18.2:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 5.5%
Cap Rate 3.6%
5-Year IRR 8.4%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year +4.8% ▲
3-Year CAGR +3.4% ▲
5-Year CAGR +4.9% ▲
10-Year CAGR +6.1% ▲

🏠 Rent Trends

1-Year +0.1% ▲
3-Year CAGR N/A
5-Year CAGR N/A
Negative Leverage — IRR / Tax Play Cap Rate: 3.6%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage reduces cash returns at current rates.

The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (3.6%). Financing reduces your cash-on-cash return below the cap rate. Markets like this may still make sense as IRR plays — factoring in appreciation, depreciation, and a future refinance when rates drop.

Run an IRR Analysis →

⚠️ Risk Signals

Composite view of factors that can impact a ZIP's stability and your downside risk.

Vacancy
1.3%
Low risk
Landlord Climate
5.0/5
Friendly
Value Trend (5yr)
+4.9%
Stable
Eviction process: Moderate Rent control: Favorable

Demographics in 46845

Population: 28,664

💰 Median Household Income
$109,494
This area
$109,494
State
$69,164
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
13.5%
This area
13.5%
State
22.2%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
1.2%
This area
1.2%
State
-23.5%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
51.6%
This area
51.6%
State
-6.4%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
41.8 years
This area
41.8 years
State
-0.2 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
1.3%
This area
1.3%
State
10.7%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
White 88.3%
Other/Mixed 4.7%
Asian 3.7%
Black/African American 3.3%
Hispanic/Latino 2.1%
👶 Under 18
26.1%
This area
26.1%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
18.2%
This area
18.2%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
2.2%
This area
2.2%
USA
11.5%

Crime & Safety

🚧

Crime & Safety Data Coming Soon

We're integrating comprehensive crime statistics including violent crime rates, property crime, and safety scores to help you make informed investment decisions.

Expected: Q1 2025

🎓 Schools in 46845

B Avg School Grade
5 Schools
17.7:1 Avg Class Size
$13,339 Avg Per Pupil

Schools in This ZIP Code

B Good

Cedar Canyon Elementary School

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
521 Students
👨‍🏫
15.3:1 Class Size
💰
$13,212 Per Student
B Good

Oak View Elementary School

📚 K – 05 Elementary
👥
465 Students
👨‍🏫
15.2:1 Class Size
💰
$13,212 Per Student
B Good

Perry Hill Elementary School

📚 K – 05 Elementary
👥
546 Students
👨‍🏫
17.7:1 Class Size
💰
$13,212 Per Student
B Good

Cedarville Elementary School

📚 K – 03 Elementary
👥
771 Students
👨‍🏫
19.3:1 Class Size
💰
$13,848 Per Student
C+ Average

Maple Creek Middle School

📚 06 – 08 Middle
👥
1,016 Students
👨‍🏫
21.1:1 Class Size
💰
$13,212 Per Student
About Repit School Scores

Traditional school ratings rely heavily on standardized test scores, which often reflect family income more than school quality. Repit takes a different approach.

We evaluate schools based on factors that research shows actually impact educational outcomes:

  • Class Size — Smaller classes mean more individual attention
  • School Funding — Resources available for programs, staff, and facilities
  • Community Factors — Neighborhood characteristics that influence student success
  • School Environment — Size, type, and structure

Scores are updated annually using federal education data.

🎓 Nearby Colleges & Universities

8 Nearby 1,109 Off-Campus Students
C
Concordia Theological Seminary
296 students · 4.5 mi
C
Rudae's School of Beauty Culture-Ft Wayne
121 students · 5.6 mi
C+
Purdue University Fort Wayne
8,874 students · 6.1 mi
D
Ross Medical Education Center-Fort Wayne
124 students · 6.5 mi
C
Ravenscroft Beauty College
114 students · 6.6 mi
C
Indiana Institute of Technology
2,862 students · 8.8 mi
C
Indiana Institute of Technology-College of Professional Studies
2,535 students · 8.8 mi
C
University of Saint Francis-Fort Wayne
1,852 students · 8.9 mi

Investor Insight: With 1,109 students living off-campus nearby, this area has strong rental demand from the college population.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where do home prices stand in Fort Wayne, IN?

Fort Wayne, IN median home values land near $395K. That is reasonable territory for investors looking at $1,806/mo-per-month rentals.

What is the rental occupancy rate in Fort Wayne, IN?

Fort Wayne, IN vacancy trends elevated. Investors running standard buy-and-hold plays see reasonable downtime between tenants.

Is it easy to find good tenants in Fort Wayne, IN?

Tenant demand in Fort Wayne, IN is solid. The local workforce $1,806/mo rents across most rental classes.

Is Fort Wayne, IN good for house hacking?

The house hack math a challenging in Fort Wayne, IN. Owner-occupant buyers benefit from the $1,806/mo rents and $395K home values.

Are eviction rules reasonable in Fort Wayne, IN?

Fort Wayne, IN falls under IN landlord-tenant law, which is landlord-friendly. That backdrop makes day-to-day property management reasonable.

You know 46845 now. You don’t know where it ranks.

This page stays free — all of it. What one page can’t tell you is how 46845 compares to every other market. Investor ($19/mo) screens every U.S. ZIP by cap rate, the 1% rule, vacancy and landlord climate, and exports your shortlist.

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How 46845 ranks in Fort Wayne, IN

Every ZIP in this metro, ranked. Free.

Cash Flow → Appreciation → Affordable →
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