Lake County vs Marion County
Lake 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.
Lake County and Marion County score about the same overall (44 vs 43 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Lake County | Marion County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $66k | $60k |
| Cost of Living | $44k | $44k |
| Home Value | $195k | $184k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $136k | $218k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.98% | 0.96% |
| Income Tax | 4.78% | 5.22% |
| Sales Tax | 7.00% | 7.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 9.97% | 10.49% |
| Unemployment | 6.7% | 5.5% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 26°F | 29°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 76°F | 76°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 41.0 in | 44.3 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 29.3 in | 24.7 in |
| Sunny Days | 237 days | 168 days |
| Summer Humidity | 63°F | 65°F |
| Comfortable Days | 87 days | 84 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 95.9 | 97.5 |
| Air Quality | 55 AQI | 60 AQI |
| School Quality | 51.7 | 59.6 |
| Violent Crime | 1088/100k | 2596/100k |
| Property Crime | 1411/100k | 3394/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 497,682 | 971,737 |
| Median Age | 39.3 | 34.4 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.59 | 0.59 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.95 | 0.94 |
| Political Leaning | D+15 | D+30 |
| White (%) | 52.6% | 52.5% |
| Black (%) | 23.0% | 27.9% |
| Hispanic (%) | 20.2% | 11.1% |
| Asian (%) | 1.5% | 3.9% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 2.7% | 4.6% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 29 min | 24 min |
| Walkability | 8.0/20 | 10.8/20 |
| Airport Distance | 31 mi | 10 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 86.4% | 87.1% |
| Amenities Nearby | 1.25 | 6.72 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | 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 Lake County or Marion County more affordable?
- Lake County has the lower cost of living: its index is $44k, compared with Lake County's $44k and Marion County's $44k. Median rent is $1k in Lake County versus $1k in Marion County.
- Is Lake County or Marion County safer?
- Lake County has the lower violent crime rate. Lake County reports 1088/100k and Marion County reports 2596/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Lake County or Marion County?
- The median home value is $195k in Lake County and $184k in Marion County, so homes are more affordable in Marion County.