Cost of living in Chesterton 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 Chesterton 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 Chesterton is 107, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Chesterton is 1.1x higher than the national average.
Chesterton ranks as the #119 cheapest in Indiana out of 128.
Chesterton ranks as the #3,374 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Chesterton is $337,945.
The median income in Chesterton is $88,536.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Chesterton has an overall cost of living index of 107, which is 1.1x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Indiana, Chesterton has a cost of living index that's 1.2x higher than Indiana's index of 92.
The standard of living in Chesterton ranks as #119 most affordable out of the 128 places we measured in Indiana. By definition, that implies Chesterton ranks as the #9 most expensive place in the Hoosier State.
For more reading on life in Chesterton, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Chesterton. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Chesterton is 105.
The Groceries index in Chesterton is 104.
The Health index in Chesterton is 110.
The Housing index in Chesterton is 107.
The Transportation index in Chesterton is 105.
The Utilities index in Chesterton is 87.
| Living Expense | Chesterton | Indiana | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 107 | 92 | 100 | |
| Services | 105 | 95 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 104 | 97 | 100 | |
| Health | 110 | 94 | 100 | |
| Housing | 107 | 73 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 105 | 94 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 87 | 107 | 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 2019-2023. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Chesterton is $337,945.
The Median Rent in Chesterton is $1,145.
The Median Income in Chesterton is $88,536.
The Home Value To Income in Chesterton is 3.8x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Chesterton is 0.16x.
| Statistic | Chesterton | Indiana | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $337,945 | $251,301 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $1,145 | $1,020 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $88,536 | $70,051 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 3.8x | 3.6x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.16x | 0.17x | 0.21x |
| Item | Chesterton | Indiana |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.27 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $17.91 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $24.58 | $18 |
| Haircut | $33.69 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $53.44 | $45.56 |
| Item | Chesterton | Indiana |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $5.28 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.42 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.87 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $4.9 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $13.41 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $10.0 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.75 | $3.7 |
| Item | Chesterton | Indiana |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $118.27 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $167.67 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $128.22 | $113.29 |
| Item | Chesterton | Indiana |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.56 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $70.87 | $59.92 |
| Item | Chesterton | Indiana |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $148.58 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $210.03 | $192.25 |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Chesterton. 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 88, 0.8x Chesterton.
Portage, IN has a cost of living index of 97, 0.9x Chesterton.
Merrillville, IN has a cost of living index of 101, 0.9x Chesterton.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Chesterton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gary, IN | 68,604 | 88 | 0.8x |
| Portage, IN | 37,951 | 97 | 0.9x |
| Merrillville, IN | 36,343 | 101 | 0.9x |
| Valparaiso, IN | 34,377 | 105 | 1.0x |
| Crown Point, IN | 34,042 | 98 | 0.9x |
| Hobart, IN | 29,646 | 98 | 0.9x |
| La Porte, IN | 22,125 | 83 | 0.8x |
| Griffith, IN | 16,228 | 100 | 0.9x |
| Lake Station, IN | 13,109 | 90 | 0.8x |
| Lakes of the Four Seasons, IN | 7,338 | 112 | 1.0x |