What is the rental vacancy rate in East Chicago, IN?

Name: Vacancy rate in East Chicago, IN, 2020–2024
Creator: US Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

The rental vacancy rate in East Chicago, IN is 2.8% (±1.4 points) (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

The homeowner vacancy rate is 1.8% (±1.2 points).

2,422 (±282) homes, 19.6% of all housing units, were vacant, a count that includes seasonal homes and homes being sold or rented.

In East Chicago, the rental vacancy rate went from 11.0% in 2015–2019 to 2.8% in 2020–2024 (−8.2 percentage points), a measurable decrease.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Rental vacancy rate: 2.8% (±1.4 points)
Homeowner vacancy rate: 1.8% (±1.2 points)
Vacant homes: 2,422 (±282)

Vacancy in East Chicago against Lake County, its state and the nation

Estimate (90% margin of error)
	East Chicago	Lake County	Indiana	United States
Rental vacancy rate	2.8% (±1.4 points)	5.1% (±0.9 points)	5.6% (±0.3 points)	5.5%
Homeowner vacancy rate	1.8% (±1.2 points)	0.6% (±0.2 points)	0.8% (±0.1 points)	0.9%
Vacant housing units	2,422 (±282)	22,306 (±960)	260,559 (±6,417)	14,547,859

The rental vacancy rate is the share of rental homes that are vacant and for rent; it leaves out homes already rented but not yet moved into, and seasonal homes.

In East Chicago, the rental vacancy rate is lower than in Lake County (5.1%).

It is also lower than in Indiana (5.6%).

It is lower than the national figure (5.5%).

Rental vacancy rate in places near East Chicago

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with East Chicago
Place	Distance	Rental vacancy rate	Compared with this place
East Chicago	—	2.8% (±1.4 points)	—
Whiting	2.4 mi	4.9% (±6.1 points)	Not measurably different
North Township (Lake County)	2.9 mi	4.9% (±1.3 points)	Higher
Hammond	3.0 mi	5.0% (±1.7 points)	Not measurably different
Burnham	4.8 mi	2.7% (±2.9 points)	Not measurably different
Calumet City	5.7 mi	6.0% (±2.6 points)	Higher
Gary	6.8 mi	7.0% (±1.5 points)	Higher
Calumet Township	6.8 mi	7.0% (±1.5 points)	Higher
Highland	7.0 mi	10.3% (±5.7 points)	Higher

Nearby places with a measurably higher figure: North Township (Lake County), IN (4.9%), Calumet City, IL (6.0%), Gary, IN (7.0%).

Distance is measured in a straight line between the Census Bureau’s internal points for each place.

Rental vacancy rate across Lake County, place by place

Rank	Place	Rental vacancy rate
12 (tie)	Whiting	4.9% (±6.1 points)
12 (tie)	North Township (Lake County)	4.9% (±1.3 points)
14	Hobart Township	4.2% (±3.5 points)
15	Ross Township (Lake County)	3.2% (±2.3 points)
16 (tie)	Merrillville	3.1% (±2.4 points)
16 (tie)	Munster	3.1% (±5.1 points)
18	East Chicago	2.8% (±1.4 points)
19	St. John Township	2.6% (±3.5 points)
20	Schererville	1.4% (±2.3 points)
21 (tie)	Cedar Lake	0.0% (±4.5 points)
21 (tie)	Crown Point	0.0% (±2.1 points)
21 (tie)	Lake Dalecarlia	0.0% (±46.5 points)
21 (tie)	Lake Station	0.0% (±2.8 points)

Showing 13 of 31 places in Lake County, ranked from highest to lowest.

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

Is it hard to find a rental in East Chicago?

The rental vacancy rate in East Chicago, IN is 2.8% (±1.4 points); a low rate means few rental homes stand empty and for rent at any time, which usually means more competition for each one.

Is the rental market in East Chicago tighter than it was?

In East Chicago, the rental vacancy rate went from 11.0% in 2015–2019 to 2.8% in 2020–2024 (−8.2 percentage points), a measurable decrease.

How many homes are vacant in East Chicago?

An estimated 2,422 (±282) housing units, 19.6% of the total, including seasonal homes and homes waiting to be sold or rented.

Sources

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 DP04_0005E, DP04_0005M from the 2019 release.

The API needs a free key.

Request a Census API key.

DP04_0005E, DP04_0005M, DP04_0004E, DP04_0004M, DP04_0003E, DP04_0003M, DP04_0003PE, DP04_0003PM

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.