What is the median rent in South Bend, IN?

Name: Median rent in South Bend, IN, 2020–2024
Creator: US Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

The median gross rent in South Bend, IN is $1,033 (±$30) a month, according to the US Census Bureau’s 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

That is across 15,819 rented homes; gross rent is the contract rent plus the utilities and fuels a renter pays separately.

In South Bend, the median gross rent went from $789 in 2015–2019 to $1,033 in 2020–2024 (+30.9%).

Prices (CPI-U) rose 22.7% over the same years, so it rose faster than prices: a measurable increase after inflation.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Median gross rent: $1,033 (±$30)
Rented homes: 15,819 (±809)
$2,000 or more: 3.0%
Since 2015–2019: +30.9%

How much rent costs in South Bend

Share of rented homes in each gross-rent range, 2020–2024
Monthly gross rent	South Bend	St. Joseph County	Indiana	United States
Less than $500	7.2% (±1.7 points)	6.2%	7.1%	6.3%
$500 to $999	39.1% (±3.1 points)	36.9%	36.9%	20.2%
$1,000 to $1,499	41.9% (±3.0 points)	41.9%	38.5%	28.1%
$1,500 to $1,999	8.8% (±1.6 points)	11.0%	12.0%	21.1%
$2,000 to $2,499	2.4% (±0.7 points)	2.7%	3.6%	12.0%
$2,500 to $2,999	0.4% (±0.3 points)	0.7%	1.0%	5.5%
$3,000 or more	0.2% (±0.1 points)	0.6%	0.9%	6.8%

The most common range is $1,000 to $1,499, paid by 41.9% of renting households.

3.0% of rented homes in South Bend cost $2,000 or more a month.

South Bend against St. Joseph County, its state and the nation

Estimate (90% margin of error)
	South Bend	St. Joseph County	Indiana	United States
Median gross rent	$1,033 (±$30)	$1,062 (±$22)	$1,062 (±$5)	$1,413
Rented homes paying rent	15,819 (±809)	31,968 (±977)	758,146 (±6,704)	42,849,984

In South Bend, median gross rent is not measurably different from St. Joseph County ($1,062).

It is not measurably different from Indiana ($1,062).

It is lower than the national figure ($1,413).

In St. Joseph County, South Bend ranks 13 of 22 places with a published estimate, from highest to lowest median gross rent.

Statewide, it ranks 311 of 1,204.

Rankings use the estimates alone; where margins of error overlap, neighboring ranks may not truly differ.

How rent in South Bend has changed since 2015–2019

2015–2019 and 2020–2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates
	2015–2019	2020–2024	Amount of change	Verdict
Median gross rent	$789 (±$16)	$1,033 (±$30)	+30.9%	Up after inflation
Households that rent	42.8% (±1.3 points)	39.8% (±1.7 points)	−3.0 percentage points	Measurable decrease
Rental vacancy rate	13.2% (±2.1 points)	6.6% (±1.6 points)	−6.6 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.

Median gross rent in places near South Bend

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with South Bend
Place	Distance	Median gross rent	Compared with this place
South Bend	—	$1,033 (±$30)	—
Portage Township (St. Joseph County)	0.6 mi	$1,038 (±$30)	Not measurably different
Notre Dame	2.3 mi	$1,258 (±$528)	Not measurably different
Roseland	3.0 mi	$1,227 (±$99)	Higher
Ardmore	3.1 mi	$1,081 (±$119)	Not measurably different
German Township (St. Joseph County)	4.0 mi	$1,114 (±$51)	Higher
Clay Township (St. Joseph County)	4.4 mi	$1,132 (±$54)	Higher
Mishawaka	5.3 mi	$1,070 (±$28)	Not measurably different
Centre Township	5.5 mi	$938 (±$166)	Not measurably different

Nearby places with a measurably higher figure: Roseland, IN ($1,227), German Township (St. Joseph County), IN ($1,114), Clay Township (St. Joseph County), IN ($1,132).

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

Median gross rent across St. Joseph County, place by place

Rank	Place	Median gross rent
7	Roseland	$1,227 (±$99)
8	Clay Township (St. Joseph County)	$1,132 (±$54)
9	German Township (St. Joseph County)	$1,114 (±$51)
10	Mishawaka	$1,070 (±$28)
11	Olive Township (St. Joseph County)	$1,043 (±$270)
12	Portage Township (St. Joseph County)	$1,038 (±$30)
13	South Bend	$1,033 (±$30)
14	Penn Township (St. Joseph County)	$1,009 (±$38)
15 (tie)	North Liberty	$960 (±$203)
15 (tie)	Liberty Township (St. Joseph County)	$960 (±$203)
17	Centre Township	$938 (±$166)
18	Madison Township (St. Joseph County)	$914 (±$221)
19	Union Township (St. Joseph County)	$873 (±$187)

Showing 13 of 22 places in St. Joseph 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 South Bend

What is the average rent in South Bend, IN?

The Census Bureau publishes the median rather than the average: the median gross rent in South Bend is $1,033 (±$30) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey), so half of renting households pay less and half pay more.

How much has rent gone up in South Bend?

In South Bend, the median gross rent went from $789 in 2015–2019 to $1,033 in 2020–2024 (+30.9%).

Prices (CPI-U) rose 22.7% over the same years, so it rose faster than prices: a measurable increase after inflation.

How many rentals in South Bend cost more than $2,000 a month?

3.0% of rented homes in South Bend have a gross rent of $2,000 or more a month, and 7.2% cost less than $500.

Is rent in South Bend higher than in St. Joseph County?

In South Bend, median gross rent is not measurably different from St. Joseph County ($1,062).

It is not measurably different from Indiana ($1,062).

It is lower than the national figure ($1,413).

Is this the rent for an apartment listed today?

No: these are rents households reported paying across 2020–2024, not asking rents for vacant homes, which usually run higher.

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 South Bend city, Indiana (place:71000, in state:18).

Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).

The 2015–2019 figures are B25064_001E, B25064_001M, DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, DP04_0005E, DP04_0005M from the 2019 release.

The API needs a free key.

Request a Census API key.

DP04_0134E, DP04_0134M, DP04_0126E, DP04_0126M, DP04_0127PE, DP04_0127PM, DP04_0128PE, DP04_0128PM, DP04_0129PE, DP04_0129PM, DP04_0130PE, DP04_0130PM, DP04_0131PE, DP04_0131PM, DP04_0132PE, DP04_0132PM, DP04_0133PE, DP04_0133PM

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.