Are you sick of being a city slicker?
Do you long for life in suburban Indiana? Where you can drive an overly-large vehicle to the store for groceries and schlep the kids around to practices and appointments without worrying about a parking space.
We do, too.
If you wanted to move out to the suburbs in Indiana, where would you go? And how would you decide on the ranking factors to help you pick which Indiana suburb was best?
No worries. We got it all figured out here using Saturday Night Science.
$172,024 median income · $680,117 median home price
Located in
Boone County, Indiana
Zionsville is a suburban town located in the extreme southeast area of Boone County, Indiana, United States, northwest of Indianapolis. The population was 14,160 at the 2010 census, and grew to 26,784 in the Census 2016 estimates.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$141,505 median income · $563,458 median home price
Located in
Hamilton County, Indiana
Carmel is a suburban city in Hamilton County, Indiana, United States, located immediately north of Indianapolis. It has been one of the fastest-growing communities in the country. In 2012, Carmel was selected as the “Best Place to Live in the United States” by CNN Money magazine, and received the same designation by Niche.com in 2017. The population was 79,191 as of the 2010 and was estimated to be 91,065 in 2016 by the US Census Bureau, making it the fifth-largest city in Indiana.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$122,789 median income · $468,588 median home price
Located in
Hamilton County, Indiana
Westfield is a city in Hamilton County, Indiana, United States. As of the 2010 census the population was 30,068, and in 2016 the estimated population was 37,221. Westfield is in the Indianapolis Metropolitan Area.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$131,467 median income · $450,806 median home price
Located in
Lake County, Indiana
St. John is a town in Lake County, Indiana, United States. The town of St. John has homes in St. John Township, Hanover Township, and Center Township. St. John was founded in 1837. The population was 14,850 at the 2010 census. In 2009, St. John ranked 48th among CNN’s top 100 places to live in the United States. In 2014, St. John was ranked as the 4th safest place in Indiana by Movoto Real Estate.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$66,934 median income · $401,400 median home price
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$107,159 median income · $355,530 median home price
Located in
Lake County, Indiana
Dyer is a town in St. John Township, Lake County, Indiana, United States. The population was 16,390 at the 2010 census. It lies in the Chicago metropolitan area, 30 miles southeast of The Chicago Loop, and 12 miles from Chicago-s south side.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$102,235 median income · $356,184 median home price
Located in
Hendricks County, Indiana
Brownsburg is a town in Hendricks County, Indiana, United States. The population was 21,285 at the 2010 Census, an increase from 14,520 in 2000. As of 2016 the estimated population was 25,408.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$104,047 median income · $389,215 median home price
Located in
Hamilton County, Indiana
Noblesville is a city in, and the county seat of, Hamilton County, Indiana, United States, located just north of Indianapolis. The population was 51,969 at the 2010 census making it the 14th largest city/town in the state, up from 19th in 2007. As of 2016 the estimated population was 60,183. The city is part of Delaware, Fall Creek, Noblesville, and Wayne townships.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$97,083 median income · $337,029 median home price
Located in
Hendricks County, Indiana
Danville is a town in Center Township, Hendricks County, Indiana, United States. The population was 9,001 at the 2010 census, up from 6,418 at the 2000 census. By 2016 the estimated population was 9,676. The town is the county seat of Hendricks County.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$110,187 median income · $347,952 median home price
Located in
Lake County, Indiana
Munster is a town located in North Township, Lake County, in Northwest Indiana, United States. This bedroom community lies in the Chicago metropolitan area, approximately 30 miles southeast of the Chicago Loop, and shares municipal boundaries with Hammond to the north, Highland to the east, Dyer and Schererville to the south and Lansing and Lynwood directly west of the Illinois border. The 2010 U.S. Census counted the town’s population at 23,603.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
The receipts
Compare the top ten
Pick a metric. The bars rescale. The red line is Indiana’s statewide median.
Indiana statewide median: $71,957
Indiana statewide median: $254,122
On the map
Where Indiana’s best suburbs are
Saturday Night Science
Methodology: How we crunched the suburb numbers for the Hoosier State
We have to use Saturday Night Science and look at several metrics to give you the best suburbs in Indiana. We want to measure the type of place around major cities that people arguing at a bar would say makes it the “best suburb.”
First, we had to define a suburb. Using U.S. Census data produced for the state of Indiana, we looked at every town with at least 5,000 residents, and within 30 miles of a city that’s over 200,000 people.
In other words, suburbs.
We paid particular attention to the following criteria:
- Median Home Values
- Median Income
- Population Density (Higher is Better)
- Unemployment Rates
- Commute Time
- Education Levels
- Health Insurance Coverage
- Poverty Rates
We ranked each suburb in Indiana across these criteria from one to 44, with one being the best.
We then took the average rank across all criteria, with the town posting the lowest overall score being crowned the winner of the title “Best Suburb To Live In Indiana.”
The result is some of the safest, quietest, and ideal places to live in Indiana.
Read on to see why Zionsville is the ‘burb with the most, while Gary is probably not the best place to live in Indiana.
The full plate
The Best Suburbs In Indiana
Click any column to sort. Search by city name.
| Rank | City | Population | Median Income | Median Home Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zionsville | 32,095 | $172,024 | $680,117 |
| 2 | Carmel | 101,651 | $141,505 | $563,458 |
| 3 | Westfield | 54,677 | $122,789 | $468,588 |
| 4 | St. John | 22,567 | $131,467 | $450,806 |
| 5 | Cicero | 5,509 | $66,934 | $401,400 |
| 6 | Dyer | 16,400 | $107,159 | $355,530 |
| 7 | Brownsburg | 31,215 | $102,235 | $356,184 |
| 8 | Noblesville | 73,362 | $104,047 | $389,215 |
| 9 | Danville | 11,714 | $97,083 | $337,029 |
| 10 | Munster | 23,733 | $110,187 | $347,952 |
| 11 | New Whiteland | 5,704 | $89,918 | $228,047 |
| 12 | Avon | 23,437 | $98,486 | $352,859 |
| 13 | Greenwood | 66,029 | $83,608 | $326,491 |
| 14 | Auburn | 13,565 | $68,750 | $275,151 |
| 15 | Bargersville | 10,752 | $114,231 | $442,137 |
| 16 | McCordsville | 10,329 | $110,692 | $375,788 |
| 17 | Schererville | 29,701 | $89,466 | $352,735 |
| 18 | Pendleton | 5,321 | $86,806 | $334,739 |
| 19 | Whiteland | 5,173 | $96,944 | $296,965 |
| 20 | Griffith | 16,273 | $76,636 | $247,099 |
| 21 | Franklin | 26,168 | $82,380 | $279,168 |
| 22 | Garrett | 6,642 | $64,179 | $187,134 |
| 23 | Huntington | 17,030 | $56,520 | $192,024 |
| 24 | Cumberland | 6,267 | $87,364 | $289,409 |
| 25 | Greenfield | 24,940 | $76,127 | $285,066 |
| 26 | New Haven | 15,698 | $70,970 | $240,073 |
| 27 | Plainfield | 36,369 | $87,272 | $331,618 |
| 28 | Bluffton | 10,529 | $57,539 | $183,603 |
| 29 | Shelbyville | 20,296 | $55,602 | $222,049 |
| 30 | Lawrenceburg | 5,179 | $51,250 | $248,401 |
| 31 | Decatur | 9,811 | $58,646 | $229,668 |
| 32 | Kendallville | 10,556 | $58,939 | $220,523 |
| 33 | Lebanon | 17,812 | $65,154 | $299,032 |
| 34 | Lawrence | 49,517 | $74,022 | $268,725 |
| 35 | Mooresville | 9,751 | $68,983 | $308,099 |
| 35 | Beech Grove | 14,913 | $49,973 | $191,935 |
| 37 | Speedway | 13,968 | $60,147 | $236,684 |
| 38 | Hobart | 29,558 | $75,160 | $238,196 |
| 39 | Portage | 38,082 | $76,276 | $264,578 |
| 40 | Martinsville | 11,933 | $60,177 | $288,805 |
| 41 | East Chicago | 26,022 | $42,125 | $128,171 |
| 42 | Hammond | 76,768 | $55,504 | $170,817 |
| 43 | Lake Station | 13,185 | $59,591 | $151,774 |
| 44 | Gary | 68,113 | $38,731 | $86,989 |
Source: U.S. Census ACS via Saturday Night Science. 44 Indiana suburbs within 30 miles of a city over 200,000.
Summary
Summary: There You Have It – The Best Suburbs In Indiana
If you’re measuring the locations in Indiana where there are lots to do, and everyone wants to live, this is an accurate list.
The best suburbs in Indiana are Zionsville, Carmel, Westfield, St. John, Cicero, Dyer, Brownsburg, Noblesville, Danville, and Munster. Not sold on Indiana? Take the two-minute Find Your Place quiz and see which state actually fits you.
Questions and answers
Best Suburbs In Indiana FAQs
What is the best suburb in Indiana?
Zionsville is the best suburb to live in Indiana for 2026, according to Saturday Night Science. It pairs a $172,024 median household income with a $680,117 median home value.
What are the best suburbs in Indiana?
The best suburbs in Indiana are Zionsville, Carmel, Westfield, St. John, Cicero, Dyer, Brownsburg, Noblesville, Danville, and Munster. We ranked all 44 qualifying Indiana suburbs.
What counts as a suburb?
For this ranking, a suburb is a town within 30 miles of a city with more than 200,000 people. 44 Indiana places fit that definition this year.
How do you rank the best suburbs?
Suburbs are scored on home values, income, density, unemployment, commute times, education, insurance coverage, and poverty, using Census American Community Survey data. The best average across all eight wins.
Which Indiana suburb ranked last?
Gary came in last of the 44 Indiana suburbs we scored. Somebody has to, and the full ordering is in the table above.
