Hamilton County vs Marion County
Hamilton County, Indiana versus Marion 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 Marion County score about the same overall (47 vs 45 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Hamilton County | Marion County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $115k | $60k |
| Cost of Living | $53k | $44k |
| Home Value | $351k | $184k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.89% | 0.96% |
| Income Tax | 5.20% | 5.22% |
| Sales Tax | 7.00% | 7.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 10.23% | 10.49% |
| Unemployment | 2.7% | 5.5% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 29°F | 29°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 76°F | 76°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.9 in | 44.3 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 20.2 in | 24.7 in |
| Sunny Days | 168 days | 168 days |
| Summer Humidity | 65°F | 65°F |
| Comfortable Days | 85 days | 84 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 88.8 | 97.5 |
| Air Quality | 46 AQI | 60 AQI |
| School Quality | 49.3 | 59.6 |
| Violent Crime | 397/100k | 2596/100k |
| Property Crime | 695/100k | 3394/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 349,527 | 971,737 |
| Median Age | 37.8 | 34.4 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.30 | 0.59 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.97 | 0.94 |
| Political Leaning | Even | D+30 |
| White (%) | 81.2% | 52.5% |
| Black (%) | 4.0% | 27.9% |
| Hispanic (%) | 4.5% | 11.1% |
| Asian (%) | 6.5% | 3.9% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.8% | 4.6% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 26 min | 24 min |
| Walkability | 8.1/20 | 10.8/20 |
| Airport Distance | 28 mi | 10 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 95.6% | 87.1% |
| Amenities Nearby | 2.52 | 6.72 |
| 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 Marion County more affordable?
- Marion County has the lower cost of living: its index is $44k, compared with Hamilton County's $53k and Marion County's $44k. Median rent is $1k in Hamilton County versus $1k in Marion County.
- Is Hamilton County or Marion County safer?
- Hamilton County has the lower violent crime rate. Hamilton County reports 397/100k and Marion County reports 2596/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Hamilton County or Marion County?
- The median home value is $351k in Hamilton County and $184k in Marion County, so homes are more affordable in Marion County.