Cost of living in Gary research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Gary is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in Indiana, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:
The cost of living index in Gary is 91, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Gary is 0.9x lower than the national average.
Gary ranks as the #76 cheapest in Indiana out of 124.
Gary ranks as the #1,804 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.
The median home value in Gary is $70,600.
The median income in Gary is $34,085.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Gary has an overall cost of living index of 91, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to Indiana, Gary has a cost of living index that's 1.0x lower than Indiana's index of 91.
The standard of living in Gary ranks as #76 most affordable out of the 124 places we measured in Indiana. By definition, that implies Gary ranks as the #48 most expensive place in the Hoosier State.
For more reading on life in Gary, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Gary. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Gary is 115.
The Groceries index in Gary is 107.
The Health index in Gary is 100.
The Housing index in Gary is 46.
The Transportation index in Gary is 113.
The Utilities index in Gary is 94.
Living Expense | Gary | Indiana | National Average | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Overall | 91 | 91 | 100 | |
Services | 115 | 94 | 100 | |
Groceries | 107 | 96 | 100 | |
Health | 100 | 101 | 100 | |
Housing | 46 | 77 | 100 | |
Transportation | 113 | 95 | 100 | |
Utilities | 94 | 106 | 100 |
Housing swings affordability the most between places in Indiana, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2017-2021. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Gary is $70,600.
The Median Rent in Gary is $848.
The Median Income in Gary is $34,085.
The Home Value To Income in Gary is 2.1x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Gary is 0.3x.
Statistic | Gary | Indiana | United States |
---|---|---|---|
Median Home Value | $70,600 | $158,500 | $244,900 |
Median Rent | $848 | $891 | $1,163 |
Median Income | $34,085 | $61,944 | $69,021 |
Home Value To Income | 2.1x | 2.6x | 3.5x |
Rent To Monthly Income | 0.3x | 0.17x | 0.2x |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Gary. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Hammond, IN has a cost of living index of 95, 1.0x Gary.
Portage, IN has a cost of living index of 101, 1.1x Gary.
Merrillville, IN has a cost of living index of 101, 1.1x Gary.
City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Gary |
---|---|---|---|
Hammond, IN | 77,491 | 95 | 1.0x |
Portage, IN | 37,540 | 101 | 1.1x |
Merrillville, IN | 36,196 | 101 | 1.1x |
Hobart, IN | 29,516 | 99 | 1.1x |
Lansing, IL | 28,916 | 98 | 1.1x |
East Chicago, IN | 26,502 | 92 | 1.0x |
South Holland, IL | 21,524 | 106 | 1.2x |
Homewood, IL | 19,716 | 98 | 1.1x |
Country Club Hills, IL | 16,746 | 97 | 1.1x |
Griffith, IN | 16,213 | 98 | 1.1x |