Cost of living in East Chicago 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 East Chicago 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 East Chicago is 89, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in East Chicago is 0.9x lower than the national average.
East Chicago ranks as the #56 cheapest in Indiana out of 128.
East Chicago ranks as the #1,060 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in East Chicago is $131,146.
The median income in East Chicago is $41,071.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, East Chicago has an overall cost of living index of 89, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to Indiana, East Chicago has a cost of living index that's 1.0x lower than Indiana's index of 92.
The standard of living in East Chicago ranks as #56 most affordable out of the 128 places we measured in Indiana. By definition, that implies East Chicago ranks as the #72 most expensive place in the Hoosier State.
For more reading on life in East Chicago, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in East Chicago. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in East Chicago is 106.
The Groceries index in East Chicago is 106.
The Health index in East Chicago is 110.
The Housing index in East Chicago is 48.
The Transportation index in East Chicago is 107.
The Utilities index in East Chicago is 90.
| Living Expense | East Chicago | Indiana | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 89 | 92 | 100 | |
| Services | 106 | 95 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 106 | 97 | 100 | |
| Health | 110 | 94 | 100 | |
| Housing | 48 | 73 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 107 | 94 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 90 | 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 East Chicago is $131,146.
The Median Rent in East Chicago is $820.
The Median Income in East Chicago is $41,071.
The Home Value To Income in East Chicago is 3.2x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in East Chicago is 0.24x.
| Statistic | East Chicago | Indiana | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $131,146 | $251,301 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $820 | $1,020 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $41,071 | $70,051 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 3.2x | 3.6x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.24x | 0.17x | 0.21x |
| Item | East Chicago | 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 | East Chicago | 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 | East Chicago | Indiana |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $118.27 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $167.67 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $128.22 | $113.29 |
| Item | East Chicago | Indiana |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.56 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $70.87 | $59.92 |
| Item | East Chicago | Indiana |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $148.58 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $210.03 | $192.25 |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around East Chicago. 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 93, 1.0x East Chicago.
Gary, IN has a cost of living index of 88, 1.0x East Chicago.
Tinley Park, IL has a cost of living index of 109, 1.2x East Chicago.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. East Chicago |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hammond, IN | 77,098 | 93 | 1.0x |
| Gary, IN | 68,604 | 88 | 1.0x |
| Tinley Park, IL | 55,007 | 109 | 1.2x |
| Lansing, IL | 28,415 | 99 | 1.1x |
| Oak Forest, IL | 26,888 | 105 | 1.2x |
| Munster, IN | 23,733 | 110 | 1.2x |
| Dolton, IL | 20,979 | 97 | 1.1x |
| Evergreen Park, IL | 19,498 | 108 | 1.2x |
| Homewood, IL | 19,471 | 102 | 1.1x |
| Matteson, IL | 18,681 | 104 | 1.2x |