Market insight

Market Overview

  • Fort Wayne is located in the northeast corner of Indiana.
  • The population of Fort Wayne is 269,994 based on the 2023 Estimated U.S. Census Data.
  • The population of Allen County is 399,295 based on the 2024 Estimated U.S. Census Data.
  • The population of the Fort Wayne area CSA is 580,836 based on the 2024 Estimated STATS Indiana Data.
  • The Fort Wayne CSA ranks 79 out of 172 total CSA’s in the US based on 2020 Estimated U.S. Census Data.

Market Inventory Totals

  • Total Allen County retail inventory = 14,754,433 SF
  • Total Allen County office inventory = 14,350,057 SF
  • Total NE IN (or 10 county) industrial inventory = 121,674,236 SF

Distances of major cities from Fort Wayne:

  • Indianapolis 116 miles
  • Detroit 160 miles
  • Chicago 158 miles
  • Cincinnati 154 miles
  • Columbus 156 miles

Total Population by County - Northeast Indiana

County 2024 Post Pandemic 1-Year Change 1-Year Change Natural Change International Domestic
Adams 36,584 2.05% 0.82% 115 330 57 -268
Allen 399,295 3.42% 1.20% 4,164 1,738 1,811 601
DeKalb 44,330 2.40% 0.30% 153 85 28 38
Huntington 36,944 0.81% 0.44% 126 -39 80 86
Kosciusko 80,669 0.66% 0.38% 228 32 162 34
LaGrange 41,122 1.43% 0.53% 143 401 37 -297
Noble 47,811 0.74% 0.80% 303 119 79 108
Steuben 34,862 1.22% -0.16% -14 -44 89 -59
Wabash 30,777 -0.51% 0.35% 15 -84 17 85
Wells 28,798 2.28% 0.85% 162 18 31 112
Whitley 34,855 1.62% 0.41% 99 50 9 43
NEIN 816,077 2.28% 0.83% 5,494 2,606 2,400 483
10 Counties 416,782 1.21% 0.47% 1,330 868 589 -118
Indiana 6,924,275 1.99% 0.90% 44,144 9,159 30,852 4,268

Source: Greater Fort Wayne Inc.

MARKET REPORTS

2025 Office Market Report

After a four-year downward trend, the office market fundamentals stabilized primarily due to reclassification of properties as opposed to sale and lease transactions. The Fort Wayne office market continues to be stronger than comparable Midwest metros. The large presence of medical, defense and education sectors will continue to support stable performance of the office market. Traditional professional office demand will remain soft, and owners will need to be aggressive with pricing and terms in order to attract and retain users.

2026 Industrial Market Report

The Northeast Indiana industrial market in 2025 was defined by historically low levels of new construction. This healthy market response was due to the number of vacant spec buildings at the beginning of the year. Absorption increased significantly compared to the prior two years, driven by the lease or sale of eight spec buildings and several other large spaces being filled. Vacancy remains low, and several active users continue to struggle to find suitable space. New construction is expected to increase to meet market demand, supported by evolving federal tax policy and improved clarity around tariffs.

2025 Retail Market Report

For the first time in five years, vacancy increased and absorption was negative. This was primarily due to corporate bankruptcies and store closures by national retailers and less new construction. Distress is most concentrated in goods retailers, while restaurant, entertainment and personal service users are continually taking a larger share of the market and remain active.

Due to the tremendous economic unpredictability, it is challenging to make retail forecasts. There is a sense of increased risk of a recession, potential for higher inflation and supply chain disruptions as a result of tariffs, which we feel will have a negative impact on the retail market in the next 12 months. On a positive note, Fort Wayne is outpacing state, regional and national population growth rates.

MARKET NEWS

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LOCAL & REGIONAL LINKS

Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership

Greater Fort Wayne Inc.

U.S. Department of Labor Unemployment Situation Summary

Regional Information
As prepared by Indiana Dept. of workforce Development

City of Fort Wayne
Business Information including demographics, economic development news and other facts

Allen County Government Site