been here a few years, here's my opinion - 8/25/2005

A great place to live with the low cost of living, very low real-estate prices, excellent malls, good schools (specifically in the SW-Allen county area), wonderful restaurants (we're known as the City of Restaurants!) and so many families the atmosphere is really family friendly. No joke, having lived across the country in both urban and surburban areas... I can say this is one of the best areas to settle down in. People are very friendly, what they call traffic-congestion around here is an absolute joke... rush-hour on any of the major routes is not bad at all. Major draw-backs only really include the following: 1) airport is not a major hub, so if you have out-of-town family, it will be expensive/time-consuming to fly for visits. 2) Trains, lots of trains... and they blow their horns. Residents will claim not to hear them, but trust me... any newborns/infants/out-of-town visitors will hear them! I suggest choosing where you live wisely, use maps.google.com to identify how close train tracks are to where you're looking at real estate. 3) Real-estate prices have been declining - so don't expect to recoup any investment. In the 100-170k range, prices are stagnant, in the 175k-+1mill price-range, people are selling for incredible 6-figure losses. Indiana has big foreclosure problem and in Fort Wayne, combined with massive expansion in SW-area, there's too many available houses. Definitely a buyer's market.

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Returning Resident - 8/12/2005

We moved here in 2003, after living in Southern California for several years. While evidence of a slow degradation is noticeable, Fort Wayne is currently on a rebound in terms of quality of living. General improvements in government, roads, and technology that attracts business and industry have been on the rise in recent years. The downtown district is seeking ways to revitalize. The cost of living is hard to beat, considering the price of homes. Sports entertainment is fairly affordable for families and individuals. The growing ethnic/immigrant population has contributed to more diversity in schools, culture, and restaurants-- though there is still room for improvement in the dining experience category, on a number of levels. As the midwest goes, Fort Wayne is not without it's issues; but it's one of the best options for cities of its size.

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Long time resident - 7/23/2005

Fort Wayne used to be a wonderful city to live in providing many opportunities. It has become extremely corrupt and violent. Many people are fleeing to safer environments. I would not advise living there, after 43 years I also gave up and left.

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