Gary vs Hammond
Gary, Indiana versus Hammond, Indiana: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Gary and Hammond score about the same overall (50 vs 49 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Gary | Hammond |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $37k | $52k |
| Cost of Living | $44k | $44k |
| Home Value | $82k | $129k |
| Monthly Rent | $929 | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.15% | 1.07% |
| Income Tax | 4.70% | 4.70% |
| Sales Tax | 7.00% | 7.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 9.55% | 9.65% |
| Unemployment | 13.5% | 6.3% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 26°F | 26°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 75°F | 76°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.8 in | 40.3 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 26.6 in | 28.2 in |
| Sunny Days | 245 days | 245 days |
| Summer Humidity | 63°F | 63°F |
| Comfortable Days | 88 days | 86 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 17.0 | 63.0 |
| Air Quality | 54 AQI | 50 AQI |
| School Quality | 86.4 | 56.6 |
| Violent Crime | 2077/100k | 2548/100k |
| Property Crime | 1991/100k | 3386/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 69,136 | 77,390 |
| Median Age | 36.9 | 36.5 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.38 | 0.70 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.87 | 0.97 |
| Political Leaning | D+15 | D+15 |
| White (%) | 9.7% | 34.4% |
| Black (%) | 77.4% | 22.0% |
| Hispanic (%) | 9.4% | 40.4% |
| Asian (%) | 0.3% | 1.0% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.2% | 2.2% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 27 min | 25 min |
| Walkability | 7.7/20 | 9.8/20 |
| Airport Distance | 26 mi | 17 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 75.7% | 83.3% |
| Amenities Nearby | 22.27 | 22.23 |
| 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 Gary or Hammond more affordable?
- Hammond has the lower cost of living: its index is $44k, compared with Gary's $44k and Hammond's $44k. Median rent is $929 in Gary versus $1k in Hammond.
- Is Gary or Hammond safer?
- Gary has the lower violent crime rate. Gary reports 2077/100k and Hammond reports 2548/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Gary or Hammond?
- The median home value is $82k in Gary and $129k in Hammond, so homes are more affordable in Gary.