Merrillville, IN Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Merrillville, IN Summary

Cost of living in Merrillville 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 Merrillville 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 Merrillville is 101, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Merrillville is 1.0x higher than the national average.

  • Merrillville ranks as the #106 cheapest in Indiana out of 128.

  • Merrillville ranks as the #2,735 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Merrillville is $238,929.

  • The median income in Merrillville is $64,791.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
101
Merrillville's Overall Cost Of Living
1.0x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Merrillville, IN?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Merrillville has an overall cost of living index of 101, which is 1.0x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Indiana, Merrillville has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than Indiana's index of 92.

The standard of living in Merrillville ranks as #106 most affordable out of the 128 places we measured in Indiana. By definition, that implies Merrillville ranks as the #22 most expensive place in the Hoosier State.

For more reading on life in Merrillville, check out:

106 out of 128
In Indiana
2,735 out of 6,489
In America

Merrillville Cost Of Living Vs. Indiana

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Merrillville. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Merrillville is 108.

  • The Groceries index in Merrillville is 102.

  • The Health index in Merrillville is 107.

  • The Housing index in Merrillville is 85.

  • The Transportation index in Merrillville is 106.

  • The Utilities index in Merrillville is 87.

Living Expense Merrillville Indiana National Average
Overall 101 92 100
Services 108 95 100
Groceries 102 97 100
Health 107 94 100
Housing 85 73 100
Transportation 106 94 100
Utilities 87 107 100
For more reading on cost of living around Indiana, check out:
Merrillville Cost of Living Vs. IN

Merrillville, IN Housing Cost Breakdown

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 Merrillville is $238,929.

  • The Median Rent in Merrillville is $1,304.

  • The Median Income in Merrillville is $64,791.

  • The Home Value To Income in Merrillville is 3.7x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Merrillville is 0.24x.

Statistic Merrillville Indiana United States
Median Home Value $238,929 $251,301 $303,400
Median Rent $1,304 $1,020 $1,348
Median Income $64,791 $70,051 $78,538
Home Value To Income 3.7x 3.6x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.24x 0.17x 0.21x
$238,929
Median Home Value
$1,304
Median Rent
$64,791
Median Income

Merrillville, IN Costs By Category

Detailed Merrillville Services Costs Vs. Indiana

Item Merrillville 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

Detailed Merrillville Groceries Costs Vs. Indiana

Item Merrillville 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

Detailed Merrillville Health Costs Vs. Indiana

Item Merrillville Indiana
Optometrist $118.27 $125.68
Doctor $167.67 $135.78
Dentist $128.22 $113.29

Detailed Merrillville Transportation Costs Vs. Indiana

Item Merrillville Indiana
Gasoline $3.56 $3.46
Tire Balancing $70.87 $59.92

Detailed Merrillville Utilities Costs Vs. Indiana

Item Merrillville Indiana
All Electricity $148.58 $193.99
Phone $210.03 $192.25

Merrillville SnackAbility

8
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
6/10
Housing
8
Affordability
8
Diversity
9.5
Safety
8
Amenities
8
Education
7
Commute
5

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Merrillville

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Merrillville. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Crown Point, IN has a cost of living index of 98, 1.0x Merrillville.

  • Hobart, IN has a cost of living index of 98, 1.0x Merrillville.

  • Schererville, IN has a cost of living index of 111, 1.1x Merrillville.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Merrillville
Crown Point, IN 34,042 98 1.0x
Hobart, IN 29,646 98 1.0x
Schererville, IN 29,627 111 1.1x
Lansing, IL 28,415 99 1.0x
St. John, IN 21,639 107 1.1x
South Holland, IL 21,016 106 1.0x
Dolton, IL 20,979 97 1.0x
Park Forest, IL 20,898 91 0.9x
Homewood, IL 19,471 102 1.0x
Griffith, IN 16,228 100 1.0x

Articles About Indiana

Enjoy The Snack?