Cost of living in Valparaiso 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 Valparaiso 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 Valparaiso is 103, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Valparaiso is 1.0x higher than the national average.
Valparaiso ranks as the #113 cheapest in Indiana out of 124.
Valparaiso ranks as the #3,487 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.
The median home value in Valparaiso is $199,200.
The median income in Valparaiso is $56,465.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Valparaiso has an overall cost of living index of 103, which is 1.0x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Indiana, Valparaiso has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than Indiana's index of 91.
The standard of living in Valparaiso ranks as #113 most affordable out of the 124 places we measured in Indiana. By definition, that implies Valparaiso ranks as the #11 most expensive place in the Hoosier State.
For more reading on life in Valparaiso, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Valparaiso. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Valparaiso is 115.
The Groceries index in Valparaiso is 108.
The Health index in Valparaiso is 98.
The Housing index in Valparaiso is 90.
The Transportation index in Valparaiso is 115.
The Utilities index in Valparaiso is 94.
Living Expense | Valparaiso | Indiana | National Average | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Overall | 103 | 91 | 100 | |
Services | 115 | 94 | 100 | |
Groceries | 108 | 96 | 100 | |
Health | 98 | 101 | 100 | |
Housing | 90 | 77 | 100 | |
Transportation | 115 | 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 Valparaiso is $199,200.
The Median Rent in Valparaiso is $995.
The Median Income in Valparaiso is $56,465.
The Home Value To Income in Valparaiso is 3.5x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Valparaiso is 0.21x.
Statistic | Valparaiso | Indiana | United States |
---|---|---|---|
Median Home Value | $199,200 | $158,500 | $244,900 |
Median Rent | $995 | $891 | $1,163 |
Median Income | $56,465 | $61,944 | $69,021 |
Home Value To Income | 3.5x | 2.6x | 3.5x |
Rent To Monthly Income | 0.21x | 0.17x | 0.2x |
Item | Valparaiso | Indiana |
---|---|---|
Shampoo | $1.06 | $1.06 |
Movie | $14.85 | $10.68 |
Bowling | $15.76 | $14.67 |
Haircut | $27.76 | $18.62 |
Beauty Salon | $65.57 | $39.05 |
Item | Valparaiso | Indiana |
---|---|---|
Ground Beef | $4.87 | $4.22 |
Fried Chicken | $1.99 | $1.39 |
Milk | $2.42 | $2.05 |
Potatoes | $3.23 | $3.29 |
Pizza | $12.0 | $10.62 |
Beer | $8.61 | $9.38 |
Toothpaste | $2.46 | $2.34 |
Item | Valparaiso | Indiana |
---|---|---|
Optometrist | $96.76 | $108.57 |
Doctor | $104.96 | $116.17 |
Dentist | $101.82 | $99.13 |
Item | Valparaiso | Indiana |
---|---|---|
Gasoline | $2.51 | $2.22 |
Tire Balancing | $56.85 | $50.07 |
Item | Valparaiso | Indiana |
---|---|---|
All Electricity | $131.89 | $167.67 |
Phone | $203.16 | $175.64 |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Valparaiso. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Gary, IN has a cost of living index of 91, 0.9x Valparaiso.
Portage, IN has a cost of living index of 101, 1.0x Valparaiso.
Merrillville, IN has a cost of living index of 101, 1.0x Valparaiso.
City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Valparaiso |
---|---|---|---|
Gary, IN | 69,739 | 91 | 0.9x |
Portage, IN | 37,540 | 101 | 1.0x |
Merrillville, IN | 36,196 | 101 | 1.0x |
Crown Point, IN | 33,518 | 99 | 1.0x |
Hobart, IN | 29,516 | 99 | 1.0x |
La Porte, IN | 21,993 | 83 | 0.8x |
Griffith, IN | 16,213 | 98 | 1.0x |
Chesterton, IN | 14,045 | 102 | 1.0x |
Lake Station, IN | 13,292 | 93 | 0.9x |
Lakes of the Four Seasons, IN | 7,453 | 109 | 1.1x |