Brook vs Rensselaer
Brook, Indiana versus Rensselaer, Indiana: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Brook and Rensselaer score about the same overall (55 vs 58 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Brook | Rensselaer |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $52k | $59k |
| Cost of Living | $44k | $47k |
| Home Value | $95k | $129k |
| Monthly Rent | $910 | $871 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $271 | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.86% | 0.45% |
| Income Tax | 4.70% | 5.95% |
| Sales Tax | 7.00% | 7.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 8.58% | 9.26% |
| Unemployment | 5.8% | 2.7% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 26°F | 26°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 75°F | 75°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 42.4 in | 40.1 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 25.3 in | 25.3 in |
| Sunny Days | 208 days | 208 days |
| Summer Humidity | 62°F | 62°F |
| Comfortable Days | 88 days | 94 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 48.0 | 61.2 |
| Air Quality | 50 AQI | 50 AQI |
| School Quality | 54.2 | 58.3 |
| Violent Crime | 0/100k | 0/100k |
| Property Crime | 0/100k | 0/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 960 | 5,330 |
| Median Age | 35.9 | 37.3 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.18 | 0.20 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.01 | 0.92 |
| Political Leaning | R+53 | R+50 |
| White (%) | 81.6% | 86.5% |
| Black (%) | 0.0% | 1.3% |
| Hispanic (%) | 17.5% | 7.8% |
| Asian (%) | 0.0% | 0.3% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 0.9% | 4.1% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 24 min | 17 min |
| Walkability | 5.6/20 | 6.4/20 |
| Airport Distance | 67 mi | 66 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 84.3% | 88.6% |
| Amenities Nearby | 20.83 | 45.03 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Excellent |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: 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 Brook or Rensselaer more affordable?
- Brook has the lower cost of living: its index is $44k, compared with Brook's $44k and Rensselaer's $47k. Median rent is $910 in Brook versus $871 in Rensselaer.
- Is Brook or Rensselaer safer?
- Rensselaer has the lower violent crime rate. Brook reports 0/100k and Rensselaer reports 0/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Brook or Rensselaer?
- The median home value is $95k in Brook and $129k in Rensselaer, so homes are more affordable in Brook.