What are the schools like in Cedar Lake, IN?

Cedar Lake is served primarily by Hanover Community School Corp. The district operates 3 elementary schools, 1 middle schools, and 1 high schools with a student-to-teacher ratio of 17.4:1.

What is the median household income in Cedar Lake?

The median household income in Cedar Lake, IN is $84,444 according to the most recent US Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates. The unemployment rate is 5.7%.

What is the weather like in Cedar Lake, IN?

Cedar Lake has an average high temperature of 31.5°F in January and 83.5°F in July. Annual precipitation averages 41.3 inches and annual snowfall averages 26.6 inches.

Cedar Lake, IN Cost of Living, Crime & Is It a Good Place to Live? (2026)

Q: Is Cedar Lake, IN affordable or expensive?

Cedar Lake's cost of living index is 103, where 100 represents the national average. This means Cedar Lake is 3% more expensive than the average US city. The median home value is $231,300 and the median rent is $1,182 per month.

Q: What is the crime rate in Cedar Lake, IN?

Cedar Lake has a violent crime rate of 65.7 incidents per 100,000 residents and a property crime rate of 262.7 per 100,000. The national average violent crime rate is approximately 380 per 100,000.

Is Cedar Lake, IN a Good Place to Live?

Cedar Lake is a small city of 14,215 in Indiana, with a median household income of $84,444 and a 5.7% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 103 (US average = 100), which is 3% above the national average.

Strengths: Cedar Lake stands out for below-average home prices, lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (B-).

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include longer commutes, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Cedar Lake is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Cedar Lake city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 102.6

Cedar Lake's overall cost of living index is 102.6, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Cedar Lake costs roughly 3% more than the average American city.

Metric	Cedar Lake, IN	National Avg
Median Home Value	$231,300	$244,900
Median Monthly Rent	$1,182	$1,163
Homeownership Rate	79.8%	65.9%
Median Household Income	$84,444	$74,755

Crime & Safety

Very Safe

Cedar Lake's violent crime rate is 65.7 per 100,000 residents — 83% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime

65.7 /100k

Property Crime

262.7 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Cedar Lake is served primarily by Hanover Community School Corp. The student-to-teacher ratio is 17.4:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).

Metric	Cedar Lake, IN	National Avg
School District	Hanover Community School Corp	—
Elementary Schools	3	—
Middle Schools	1	—
High Schools	1	—
Student/Teacher Ratio	17.4:1	16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher	22.7%	35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher	94.3%	91.1%

Weather & Climate

Cedar Lake sees average highs of 31.5°F in January and 83.5°F in July, with 41.3 inches of annual precipitation and 26.6 inches of snow per year.

Metric	Cedar Lake, IN
Average High — January	31.5°F
Average High — July	83.5°F
Annual Precipitation	41.3"
Annual Snowfall	26.6"

Demographics

Metric	Cedar Lake, IN	National Avg
Population	14,215	—
Median Age	39.5	38.9
Unemployment Rate	5.7%	3.7%
Avg Commute Time	35.2 min	26 min
White (non-Hispanic)	95.4%	59.3%
Black or African American	0.1%	13.6%
Hispanic or Latino	2.1%	18.9%
Asian	0.5%	6.3%
Under 18	23.5%	22.2%
65 and over	16.0%	16.8%

Nearby Cities

Lake Dalecarlia, IN 3 mi St. John, IN 5 mi Lowell, IN 6 mi Crown Point, IN 6 mi Eagle Lake, IL 6 mi

ZIP Codes in Cedar Lake

Cedar Lake, IN is covered by 1 ZIP code:

46303

Cedar Lake vs Other Cities

Cedar Lake, IN vs Lake Dalecarlia, IN Cedar Lake, IN vs St. John, IN Cedar Lake, IN vs Lowell, IN Cedar Lake, IN vs Crown Point, IN Cedar Lake, IN vs Eagle Lake, IL

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Cedar Lake, IN affordable or expensive?

Cedar Lake's cost of living index is 103, where 100 is the national average. That puts Cedar Lake roughly 3% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $231,300 and median rent is $1,182/month.

What is the crime rate in Cedar Lake, IN?

Cedar Lake's violent crime rate is 65.7 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 262.7 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.

What are the schools like in Cedar Lake?

Public schools in Cedar Lake are operated by Hanover Community School Corp. The district has 3 elementary, 1 middle, and 1 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 17.4:1. 22.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Is Cedar Lake, IN a good place to live?

Cedar Lake, IN has a population of 14,215, a median household income of $84,444, and an unemployment rate of 5.7%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.

What is the weather like in Cedar Lake?

Cedar Lake averages 31.5°F in January and 83.5°F in July. Annual rainfall is 41.3 inches with about 26.6 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).

What ZIP codes are in Cedar Lake?

Cedar Lake, IN is covered by 1 ZIP code: 46303.

What is the population of Cedar Lake?

The population of Cedar Lake, Indiana is 14,215 with a median age of 39.5. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.

What are the pros and cons of living in Cedar Lake?

Key numbers for living in Cedar Lake: cost of living index 103 (100 = US average), median home $231,300, median household income $84,444, crime index 15 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B-. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Cedar Lake side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.