East Chicago vs Merrillville
East Chicago, Indiana versus Merrillville, Indiana: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
East Chicago and Merrillville score about the same overall (51 vs 50 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | East Chicago | Merrillville |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $39k | $62k |
| Cost of Living | $44k | $44k |
| Home Value | $85k | $177k |
| Monthly Rent | $779 | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.15% | 0.97% |
| Income Tax | 4.70% | 4.70% |
| Sales Tax | 7.00% | 7.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 9.48% | 9.76% |
| Unemployment | 6.5% | 8.2% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 26°F | 26°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 76°F | 75°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.3 in | 40.9 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 26.6 in | 26.6 in |
| Sunny Days | 245 days | 208 days |
| Summer Humidity | 63°F | 62°F |
| Comfortable Days | 87 days | 89 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 46.1 | 50.1 |
| Air Quality | 53 AQI | 54 AQI |
| School Quality | 57.4 | 52.4 |
| Violent Crime | 2575/100k | 137/100k |
| Property Crime | 2305/100k | 302/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 26,363 | 36,214 |
| Median Age | 36.0 | 39.1 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.70 | 0.63 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.97 | 0.91 |
| Political Leaning | D+15 | D+15 |
| White (%) | 6.9% | 32.6% |
| Black (%) | 37.9% | 45.5% |
| Hispanic (%) | 54.8% | 17.3% |
| Asian (%) | 0.1% | 0.9% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 0.3% | 3.6% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 23 min | 32 min |
| Walkability | 7.9/20 | 7.9/20 |
| Airport Distance | 18 mi | 31 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 69.9% | 84.9% |
| Amenities Nearby | 48.93 | 25.40 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | Good |
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 East Chicago or Merrillville more affordable?
- Merrillville has the lower cost of living: its index is $44k, compared with East Chicago's $44k and Merrillville's $44k. Median rent is $779 in East Chicago versus $1k in Merrillville.
- Is East Chicago or Merrillville safer?
- Merrillville has the lower violent crime rate. East Chicago reports 2575/100k and Merrillville reports 137/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in East Chicago or Merrillville?
- The median home value is $85k in East Chicago and $177k in Merrillville, so homes are more affordable in East Chicago.