Rensselaer, IN Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Rensselaer, IN Summary

Cost of living in Rensselaer 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 Rensselaer 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 Rensselaer is 86, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Rensselaer is 0.9x lower than the national average.

  • Rensselaer ranks as the #29 cheapest in Indiana out of 128.

  • Rensselaer ranks as the #639 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Rensselaer is $241,244.

  • The median income in Rensselaer is $61,648.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
86
Rensselaer's Overall Cost Of Living
0.9x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Rensselaer, IN?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Rensselaer has an overall cost of living index of 86, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Indiana, Rensselaer has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than Indiana's index of 92.

The standard of living in Rensselaer ranks as #29 most affordable out of the 128 places we measured in Indiana. By definition, that implies Rensselaer ranks as the #99 most expensive place in the Hoosier State.

For more reading on life in Rensselaer, check out:

29 out of 128
In Indiana
639 out of 6,489
In America

Rensselaer Cost Of Living Vs. Indiana

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

  • The Services index in Rensselaer is 95.

  • The Groceries index in Rensselaer is 97.

  • The Health index in Rensselaer is 91.

  • The Housing index in Rensselaer is 66.

  • The Transportation index in Rensselaer is 94.

  • The Utilities index in Rensselaer is 89.

Living Expense Rensselaer Indiana National Average
Overall 86 92 100
Services 95 95 100
Groceries 97 97 100
Health 91 94 100
Housing 66 73 100
Transportation 94 94 100
Utilities 89 107 100
For more reading on cost of living around Indiana, check out:
Rensselaer Cost of Living Vs. IN

Rensselaer, 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 Rensselaer is $241,244.

  • The Median Rent in Rensselaer is $868.

  • The Median Income in Rensselaer is $61,648.

  • The Home Value To Income in Rensselaer is 3.9x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Rensselaer is 0.17x.

Statistic Rensselaer Indiana United States
Median Home Value $241,244 $251,301 $303,400
Median Rent $868 $1,020 $1,348
Median Income $61,648 $70,051 $78,538
Home Value To Income 3.9x 3.6x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.17x 0.17x 0.21x
$241,244
Median Home Value
$868
Median Rent
$61,648
Median Income

Rensselaer, IN Costs By Category

Detailed Rensselaer Services Costs Vs. Indiana

Item Rensselaer Indiana
Shampoo $1.46 $1.28
Movie $8.75 $12.13
Bowling $18.33 $18
Haircut $23.56 $24.26
Beauty Salon $42.28 $45.56

Detailed Rensselaer Groceries Costs Vs. Indiana

Item Rensselaer Indiana
Ground Beef $6.31 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.39 $1.57
Milk $4.63 $4.67
Potatoes $4.96 $4.93
Pizza $13.8 $12.09
Beer $10.43 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.77 $3.7

Detailed Rensselaer Health Costs Vs. Indiana

Item Rensselaer Indiana
Optometrist $93.66 $125.68
Doctor $120.22 $135.78
Dentist $113.44 $113.29

Detailed Rensselaer Transportation Costs Vs. Indiana

Item Rensselaer Indiana
Gasoline $3.17 $3.46
Tire Balancing $61.36 $59.92

Detailed Rensselaer Utilities Costs Vs. Indiana

Item Rensselaer Indiana
All Electricity $157.45 $193.99
Phone $197.49 $192.25

Rensselaer SnackAbility

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

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Rensselaer

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

  • Lansing, IL has a cost of living index of 99, 1.2x Rensselaer.

  • Homewood, IL has a cost of living index of 102, 1.2x Rensselaer.

  • Matteson, IL has a cost of living index of 104, 1.2x Rensselaer.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Rensselaer
Lansing, IL 28,415 99 1.2x
Homewood, IL 19,471 102 1.2x
Matteson, IL 18,681 104 1.2x
Bourbonnais, IL 18,109 99 1.2x
Richton Park, IL 12,576 100 1.2x
Flossmoor, IL 9,666 120 1.4x
Lynwood, IL 9,047 98 1.1x
Manteno, IL 8,942 98 1.1x
Glenwood, IL 8,620 102 1.2x
Monee, IL 5,104 98 1.1x

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