Cost of living is low, and housing is a good value. The area has a better-than-average collection of small-scale arts-and-culture amenities for the type of town and some recreation in surrounding areas. There is a strong community pride and sense of resilience to economic. While Fort Wayne has no outstanding draws, it also has no severe drawbacks.

The surrounding area is generally level south and east of the city, rolling to the southwest, and quite hilly to the north and northwest. While the climate is influenced somewhat by the nearby Great Lakes, it does not differ greatly from that of other Midwestern cities of the same latitude. Summers are warm and humid. Winters are cool and cloudy, and occasionally very cold and windy.

Annual precipitation is well distributed with somewhat larger amounts falling in late spring and early summer. Snow squalls and winter-snow cover are common, but blizzards are infrequent. Summer thunderstorms are common and occasionally severe. The river confluence and low elevation has produced some severe floods. First freeze is mid-October, last is late April.