Is Mishawaka, IN a Good Place to Live?
Mishawaka is a mid-sized city of 50,899 in Indiana, with a median household income of $51,543 and a 6.9% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 91 (US average = 100), which is 9% below the national average.
Strengths: Mishawaka stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (B), short average commutes.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Mishawaka is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Mishawaka 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: 91.4Mishawaka's overall cost of living index is 91.4, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Mishawaka costs roughly 9% less than the average American city.
| Metric | Mishawaka, IN | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $128,200 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $979 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 48.4% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $51,543 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Safer than AverageMishawaka's violent crime rate is 236.3 per 100,000 residents — 38% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Mishawaka is served primarily by School City of Mishawaka. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14.9:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Mishawaka, IN | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | School City of Mishawaka | — |
| Elementary Schools | 7 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | 2 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 14.9:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 26.7% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 90.6% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Mishawaka sees average highs of 31.8°F in January and 83.0°F in July, with 40.0 inches of annual precipitation and 49.9 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Mishawaka, IN |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 31.8°F |
| Average High — July | 83.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | 49.9" |
Demographics
| Metric | Mishawaka, IN | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 50,899 | — |
| Median Age | 35.8 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.9% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 21.5 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 79.7% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 8.6% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 3.5% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 2.5% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 20.5% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 16.7% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Mishawaka
Mishawaka, IN is covered by 2 ZIP codes: