Portage, IN Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Portage, IN Summary

Cost of living in Portage 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 Portage 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 Portage is 97, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Portage is 1.0x lower than the national average.

  • Portage ranks as the #92 cheapest in Indiana out of 128.

  • Portage ranks as the #2,245 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Portage is $262,621.

  • The median income in Portage is $72,833.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
97
Portage's Overall Cost Of Living
1.0x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Portage, IN?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Portage has an overall cost of living index of 97, which is 1.0x lower than the national index of 100.

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

The standard of living in Portage ranks as #92 most affordable out of the 128 places we measured in Indiana. By definition, that implies Portage ranks as the #36 most expensive place in the Hoosier State.

For more reading on life in Portage, check out:

92 out of 128
In Indiana
2,245 out of 6,489
In America

Portage Cost Of Living Vs. Indiana

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

  • The Services index in Portage is 106.

  • The Groceries index in Portage is 102.

  • The Health index in Portage is 109.

  • The Housing index in Portage is 89.

  • The Transportation index in Portage is 109.

  • The Utilities index in Portage is 90.

Living Expense Portage Indiana National Average
Overall 97 92 100
Services 106 95 100
Groceries 102 97 100
Health 109 94 100
Housing 89 73 100
Transportation 109 94 100
Utilities 90 107 100
For more reading on cost of living around Indiana, check out:
Portage Cost of Living Vs. IN

Portage, 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 Portage is $262,621.

  • The Median Rent in Portage is $1,138.

  • The Median Income in Portage is $72,833.

  • The Home Value To Income in Portage is 3.6x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Portage is 0.19x.

Statistic Portage Indiana United States
Median Home Value $262,621 $251,301 $303,400
Median Rent $1,138 $1,020 $1,348
Median Income $72,833 $70,051 $78,538
Home Value To Income 3.6x 3.6x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.19x 0.17x 0.21x
$262,621
Median Home Value
$1,138
Median Rent
$72,833
Median Income

Portage, IN Costs By Category

Detailed Portage Services Costs Vs. Indiana

Item Portage 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 Portage Groceries Costs Vs. Indiana

Item Portage 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 Portage Health Costs Vs. Indiana

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

Detailed Portage Transportation Costs Vs. Indiana

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

Detailed Portage Utilities Costs Vs. Indiana

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

Portage SnackAbility

6
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
7/10
Housing
8
Affordability
8
Diversity
8.5
Safety
N/A
Amenities
8.5
Education
6
Commute
5

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Portage

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

  • Valparaiso, IN has a cost of living index of 105, 1.1x Portage.

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

  • Lansing, IL has a cost of living index of 99, 1.0x Portage.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Portage
Valparaiso, IN 34,377 105 1.1x
Crown Point, IN 34,042 98 1.0x
Lansing, IL 28,415 99 1.0x
Munster, IN 23,733 110 1.1x
Dyer, IN 16,400 108 1.1x
Griffith, IN 16,228 100 1.0x
Chesterton, IN 14,326 107 1.1x
Lake Station, IN 13,109 90 0.9x
Lynwood, IL 9,047 98 1.0x
Lakes of the Four Seasons, IN 7,338 112 1.2x

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