Is East Chicago, IN a Good Place to Live?
East Chicago is a small city of 26,363 in Indiana, with a median household income of $39,434 and a 6.5% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 103 (US average = 100), which is 3% above the national average.
Strengths: East Chicago stands out for below-average home prices, short average commutes.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include a higher-than-average crime index, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether East Chicago is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All East Chicago 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: 102.6East Chicago's overall cost of living index is 102.6, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in East Chicago costs roughly 3% more than the average American city.
| Metric | East Chicago, IN | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $84,900 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $779 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 43.8% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $39,434 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Higher than AverageEast Chicago's violent crime rate is 826.1 per 100,000 residents — 117% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
East Chicago is served primarily by School City of East Chicago. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13.3:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | East Chicago, IN | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | School City of East Chicago | — |
| Elementary Schools | 4 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | 1 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 13.3:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 10.0% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 73.5% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
East Chicago sees average highs of 31.1°F in January and 83.9°F in July, with 40.3 inches of annual precipitation and 26.6 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | East Chicago, IN |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 31.1°F |
| Average High — July | 83.9°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 26.6" |
Demographics
| Metric | East Chicago, IN | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 26,363 | — |
| Median Age | 36.0 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.5% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 22.9 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 19.8% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 38.4% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 40.5% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 0.1% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 25.3% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 15.1% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in East Chicago
East Chicago, IN is covered by 1 ZIP code: