Hamilton County vs Lake County
Hamilton County, Indiana versus Lake County, Indiana: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US counties.
Hamilton County and Lake County score about the same overall (47 vs 44 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Hamilton County | Lake County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $115k | $66k |
| Cost of Living | $53k | $44k |
| Home Value | $351k | $195k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $99k | $136k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.89% | 0.98% |
| Income Tax | 5.20% | 4.78% |
| Sales Tax | 7.00% | 7.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 10.23% | 9.97% |
| Unemployment | 2.7% | 6.7% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 29°F | 26°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 76°F | 76°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.9 in | 41.0 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 20.2 in | 29.3 in |
| Sunny Days | 168 days | 237 days |
| Summer Humidity | 65°F | 63°F |
| Comfortable Days | 85 days | 87 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 88.8 | 95.9 |
| Air Quality | 46 AQI | 55 AQI |
| School Quality | 49.3 | 51.7 |
| Violent Crime | 397/100k | 1088/100k |
| Property Crime | 695/100k | 1411/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 349,527 | 497,682 |
| Median Age | 37.8 | 39.3 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.30 | 0.59 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.97 | 0.95 |
| Political Leaning | Even | D+15 |
| White (%) | 81.2% | 52.6% |
| Black (%) | 4.0% | 23.0% |
| Hispanic (%) | 4.5% | 20.2% |
| Asian (%) | 6.5% | 1.5% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.8% | 2.7% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 26 min | 29 min |
| Walkability | 8.1/20 | 8.0/20 |
| Airport Distance | 28 mi | 31 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 95.6% | 86.4% |
| Amenities Nearby | 2.52 | 1.25 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Good |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US counties: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Hamilton County or Lake County more affordable?
- Lake County has the lower cost of living: its index is $44k, compared with Hamilton County's $53k and Lake County's $44k. Median rent is $1k in Hamilton County versus $1k in Lake County.
- Is Hamilton County or Lake County safer?
- Hamilton County has the lower violent crime rate. Hamilton County reports 397/100k and Lake County reports 1088/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Hamilton County or Lake County?
- The median home value is $351k in Hamilton County and $195k in Lake County, so homes are more affordable in Lake County.