Housing data for East Chicago, IN
East Chicago, IN has an estimated 26,022 residents and 12,365 homes (US Census Bureau, 2020–2024 American Community Survey).
It is a city in Lake County.
57.1% of households rent.
The median gross rent is $854 a month.
Its population shrank measurably since 2015–2019 (−7.7%).
Figures last updated on .
- Residents
- 26,022 (±44)
- Housing units
- 12,365 (±516)
- Households that rent
- 57.1%
- Median gross rent
- $854
- Residents since 2015–2019
- −7.7%
What stands out in East Chicago
Households that rent: 57.1% (±3.9 points) in East Chicago, higher than in Lake County (28.3%).
Households without a vehicle: 16.7% (±3.1 points) in East Chicago, higher than in Lake County (7.2%).
Median home value: $105,400 (±$9,759) in East Chicago, lower than in Lake County ($230,600).
Homes in buildings of 5 or more units: 22.2% (±3.3 points) in East Chicago, higher than in Lake County (13.1%).
- Renters and owners in East Chicago
- Commute and cars in East Chicago
- Home values in East Chicago
- Types of homes in East Chicago
Housing in East Chicago at a glance
- Median rent: $854 median gross rent a month
- Rent by bedrooms: $884 median gross rent, 2 bedrooms
- Rent burden: 50.4% of renters pay 30% or more of income
- Renters and owners: 57.1% of households rent
- Income and affordability: $42,125 median household income
- Home values: $105,400 median home value
- Homeowner costs: $1,153 median monthly cost with a mortgage
- Property taxes: $1,083 median real estate taxes a year
- Types of homes: 22.2% of homes are in buildings of 5 or more units
- Bedrooms: 50.6% of homes have 3 or more bedrooms
- Age of homes: 90.8% of homes were built before 1980
- Vacancy rate: 2.8% rental vacancy rate
- Heating fuel: 85.9% heat with utility gas
- Commute and cars: 20.8 minutes average trip to work
- Crime reported to police: 574 violent crimes per 100,000 residents
- Growth: −7.7% residents since 2015–2019
- How long people stay: 21.4% moved in since 2020
- Crowding and facilities: 2.2% of homes have more than 1 person per room
- Fair Market Rent: $1,140 Small Area FMR, 2 bedrooms (ZIP 46312)
East Chicago against Lake County, its state and the nation
| East Chicago | Lake County | Indiana | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 26,022 (±44) | 500,379 (exact) | 6,851,073 (exact) | 334,922,499 |
| Housing units | 12,365 (±516) | 217,436 (±112) | 2,976,568 (±617) | 143,775,355 |
| Households that rent | 57.1% (±3.9 points) | 28.3% (±0.8 points) | 29.4% (±0.3 points) | 34.8% |
| Median gross rent | $854 (±$51) | $1,131 (±$16) | $1,062 (±$5) | $1,413 |
| Median household income | $42,125 (±$2,976) | $71,493 (±$1,419) | $71,957 (±$352) | $80,734 |
| Median home value | $105,400 (±$9,759) | $230,600 (±$2,947) | $218,200 (±$739) | $332,700 |
| Median real estate taxes (a year) | $1,083 (±$83) | $2,112 (±$45) | $1,614 (±$9) | $3,119 |
| Built before 1980 | 90.8% (±5.6 points) | 66.0% (±1.3 points) | 55.0% (±0.3 points) | 49.7% |
| Average commute | 20.8 minutes (±1.4) | 28.5 minutes (±0.5) | 24.1 minutes (±0.1) | 26.4 minutes |
| Households with broadband | 78.5% (±3.9 points) | 89.7% (±0.6 points) | 89.9% (±0.2 points) | 91.0% |
| Median age of residents | 36.5 years (±1.6) | 39.7 years (±0.3) | 38.1 years (±0.2) | 38.9 years |
East Chicago covers 14.1 square miles of land, about 1,844 residents per square mile (Census Bureau Gazetteer).
How East Chicago has changed since 2015–2019
| 2015–2019 | 2020–2024 | Amount of change | Verdict | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 28,201 (±34) | 26,022 (±44) | −7.7% | Measurable decrease |
| Housing units | 13,723 (±430) | 12,365 (±516) | −9.9% | Measurable decrease |
| Median gross rent | $686 (±$41) | $854 (±$51) | +24.5% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median home value | $74,500 (±$3,560) | $105,400 (±$9,759) | +41.5% | Up after inflation |
| Median household income | $32,839 (±$2,762) | $42,125 (±$2,976) | +28.3% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median owner cost with a mortgage | $978 (±$46) | $1,153 (±$53) | +17.9% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median real estate taxes | $991 (±$83) | $1,083 (±$83) | +9.3% | Down after inflation |
| Households that rent | 53.8% (±3.4 points) | 57.1% (±3.9 points) | +3.3 percentage points | Not a measurable change |
| Rental vacancy rate | 11.0% (±2.5 points) | 2.8% (±1.4 points) | −8.2 percentage points | Measurable decrease |
The Census Bureau publishes 2015–2019 dollars in 2019 dollars and 2020–2024 dollars in 2024 dollars.
Prices (the CPI-U, US Bureau of Labor Statistics) rose 22.7% between 2019 and 2024, so a dollar figure’s verdict compares the two after raising the earlier one by that much, using the Census Bureau’s test for a difference.
The two periods do not overlap, as the Census Bureau recommends for 5-year estimates.
Crime reported to police in East Chicago
In 2025, the East Chicago Police Department reported 574 violent and 1,272 property crimes per 100,000 residents to the FBI.
Across Lake County, the departments that report recorded 378 violent and 1,383 property crimes per 100,000 residents that year.
ZIP codes in East Chicago
| ZIP code | Share of the ZIP’s land in this place | Residents | Median gross rent | Median home value | Median household income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 46312 | 100% | 26,022 | $854 | $105,400 | $42,125 |
A ZIP code is a mail route rather than a boundary, so the Census Bureau publishes figures for ZIP Code Tabulation Areas built from census blocks; the share column says how much of each one’s land lies in this place.
Places near East Chicago
| Place | Distance | Median gross rent | Median home value | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whiting | 2.4 mi | $1,004 | $198,900 | 47.0% |
| North Township (Lake County) | 2.9 mi | $1,081 | $191,800 | 34.4% |
| Hammond | 3.0 mi | $1,134 | $159,900 | 37.6% |
| Burnham | 4.8 mi | $1,208 | $161,300 | 42.0% |
| Calumet City | 5.7 mi | $1,177 | $145,200 | 44.3% |
| Gary | 6.8 mi | $1,012 | $94,700 | 50.9% |
| Calumet Township | 6.8 mi | $1,061 | $125,500 | 45.3% |
| Highland | 7.0 mi | $1,230 | $233,300 | 21.6% |
Places in Indiana most like East Chicago
| Place | Median gross rent | Median home value | Median household income | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pigeon Township (Vanderburgh County) | $925 | $90,200 | $42,766 | 57.4% |
| Center Township (Delaware County) | $889 | $94,800 | $44,165 | 47.7% |
| Cromwell | $938 | $123,100 | $48,698 | 56.5% |
| Muncie | $904 | $97,300 | $44,471 | 48.0% |
| Wayne Township (Allen County) | $966 | $131,000 | $49,084 | 48.7% |
| Harrison Township (Vigo County) | $917 | $105,700 | $41,155 | 48.7% |
Matched on rent, home value, income, the share who rent, the age of the homes, the share in apartment buildings and the commute, each measured against the spread across Indiana.
HUD Fair Market Rent for East Chicago, fiscal year 2027
| Studio | 1 bedroom | 2 bedrooms | 3 bedrooms | 4 bedrooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $1,117 | $1,176 | $1,429 | $1,739 | $1,898 |
HUD also publishes a Small Area Fair Market Rent for each ZIP code in the area; the Fair Market Rent page for this place lists its ZIP codes.
HUD income limits for East Chicago, fiscal year 2026
| Household size | Extremely low (30%) | Very low (50%) | Low (80%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $21,200 | $35,350 | $56,500 |
| 2 people | $24,200 | $40,400 | $64,600 |
| 3 people | $27,320 | $45,450 | $72,650 |
| 4 people | $33,000 | $50,450 | $80,700 |
| 5 people | $38,680 | $54,500 | $87,200 |
| 6 people | $44,360 | $58,550 | $93,650 |
| 7 people | $50,040 | $62,600 | $100,100 |
| 8 people | $55,720 | $66,600 | $106,550 |
These are the limits HUD sets for its housing programs in the Gary, IN HUD Metro FMR Area, where HUD’s median family income for fiscal year 2026 is $100,900.
A program can use its own limits; tax-credit and local programs often do.
Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates), compared with 2015–2019.
Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.
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Questions about East Chicago
What is the average rent in East Chicago, IN?
The Census Bureau publishes the median rather than the average: the median gross rent in East Chicago is $854 (±$51) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey), so half of renting households pay less and half pay more.
How much is a one-bedroom apartment in East Chicago?
The median gross rent for a one-bedroom home in East Chicago, IN is $443 (±$246) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Are renters in East Chicago rent-burdened?
50.4% of renting households in East Chicago pay 30% or more of their income in gross rent, the share housing researchers usually call rent-burdened (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
How many renters are there in East Chicago?
East Chicago has an estimated 5,674 (±587) renting households, 57.1% of its occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the median household income in East Chicago?
The median household income in East Chicago is $42,125 (±$2,976) a year (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the average home value in East Chicago, IN?
The Census Bureau publishes the median: $105,400 (±$9,759) for owner-occupied homes in East Chicago (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Is East Chicago growing?
In East Chicago, the number of residents went from 28,201 in 2015–2019 to 26,022 in 2020–2024 (−7.7%), a measurable decrease.
What ZIP codes are in East Chicago?
The ZIP code that covers East Chicago is 46312.
What is the median rent in ZIP code 46312?
The median gross rent in ZIP Code Tabulation Area 46312 is $854 (±$51) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Sources
- Demographic and Housing Estimates (DP05), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — East Chicago city, Indiana
- Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — East Chicago city, Indiana
- Selected Economic Characteristics (DP03), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — East Chicago city, Indiana
- Median Real Estate Taxes Paid by Mortgage Status (B25103), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — East Chicago city, Indiana
- Selected Social Characteristics (DP02), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — East Chicago city, Indiana
- Total Population (B01003), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — East Chicago city, Indiana
- Median Gross Rent (B25064), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — East Chicago city, Indiana
- HUD Fair Market Rents, fiscal year 2027: Gary, IN HUD Metro FMR Area
- HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents, fiscal year 2027
- HUD Income Limits, fiscal year 2026: Gary, IN HUD Metro FMR Area
- US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates for ZIP Code Tabulation Areas
- FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Crime Data Explorer: East Chicago Police Department (ORI IN0450300)
- FBI: Uniform Crime Reporting statistics and their proper use
- Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), US city average, all items, US Bureau of Labor Statistics: annual averages 2019 and 2024
- US Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer Files
To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) for East Chicago city, Indiana (place:19486, in state:18).
Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).
The 2015–2019 figures are B01003_001E, B01003_001M, B25064_001E, B25064_001M from the 2019 release.
The API needs a free key.
DP05_0001E, DP05_0001M, DP04_0001E, DP04_0001M, DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, DP04_0134E, DP04_0134M, DP03_0062E, DP03_0062M, DP04_0089E, DP04_0089M
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.
Figures last updated on .