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 88, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Gary is 0.9x lower than the national average.
Gary ranks as the #48 cheapest in Indiana out of 128.
Gary ranks as the #912 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Gary is $83,351.
The median income in Gary is $37,380.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Gary has an overall cost of living index of 88, 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 92.
The standard of living in Gary ranks as #48 most affordable out of the 128 places we measured in Indiana. By definition, that implies Gary ranks as the #80 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 105.
The Groceries index in Gary is 105.
The Health index in Gary is 110.
The Housing index in Gary is 51.
The Transportation index in Gary is 109.
The Utilities index in Gary is 90.
| Living Expense | Gary | Indiana | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 88 | 92 | 100 | |
| Services | 105 | 95 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 105 | 97 | 100 | |
| Health | 110 | 94 | 100 | |
| Housing | 51 | 73 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 109 | 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 Gary is $83,351.
The Median Rent in Gary is $975.
The Median Income in Gary is $37,380.
The Home Value To Income in Gary is 2.2x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Gary is 0.31x.
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 93, 1.1x Gary.
Portage, IN has a cost of living index of 97, 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 | 77,098 | 93 | 1.1x |
| Portage, IN | 37,951 | 97 | 1.1x |
| Merrillville, IN | 36,343 | 101 | 1.1x |
| Hobart, IN | 29,646 | 98 | 1.1x |
| Lansing, IL | 28,415 | 99 | 1.1x |
| East Chicago, IN | 26,158 | 89 | 1.0x |
| South Holland, IL | 21,016 | 106 | 1.2x |
| Homewood, IL | 19,471 | 102 | 1.2x |
| Country Club Hills, IL | 16,419 | 98 | 1.1x |
| Griffith, IN | 16,228 | 100 | 1.1x |