Median Income
$59,740
household / year
Median Home Value
$188,200
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$949
gross / month
Cost of Living
103
national avg = 100

Is Whiting, IN a Good Place to Live?

Whiting is a small town of 4,574 in Indiana, with a median household income of $59,740 and a 8.9% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 103 (US average = 100), which is 3% above the national average.

Strengths: Whiting 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 Whiting is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Whiting 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

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

Metric Whiting, IN National Avg
Median Home Value $188,200 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $949 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 57.4% 65.9%
Median Household Income $59,740 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Safer than Average

Whiting's violent crime rate is 356.7 per 100,000 residents — 6% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
356.7 /100k
Property Crime
1649.9 /100k

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

Schools & Education

Whiting is served primarily by School City of Whiting. The student-to-teacher ratio is 17.0:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Whiting, IN National Avg
School District School City of Whiting —
Elementary Schools 1 —
Middle Schools 1 —
High Schools 1 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 17.0:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 20.0% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 82.4% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Whiting sees average highs of 31.9°F in January and 81.0°F in July, with 40.3 inches of annual precipitation and 38.8 inches of snow per year.

MetricWhiting, IN
Average High — January31.9°F
Average High — July81.0°F
Annual Precipitation40.3"
Annual Snowfall38.8"

Demographics

MetricWhiting, INNational Avg
Population4,574—
Median Age34.638.9
Unemployment Rate8.9%3.7%
Avg Commute Time31.9 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)56.7%59.3%
Black or African American4.7%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino33.2%18.9%
Asian0.5%6.3%
Under 1827.9%22.2%
65 and over13.2%16.8%

Nearby Cities

East Chicago, IN 2 mi Hammond, IN 4 mi Burnham, IL 4 mi Calumet City, IL 6 mi Dolton, IL 7 mi

Whiting vs Other Cities

Whiting, IN vs East Chicago, IN Whiting, IN vs Hammond, IN Whiting, IN vs Burnham, IL Whiting, IN vs Calumet City, IL Whiting, IN vs Dolton, IL

Frequently Asked Questions

Whiting's cost of living index is 103, where 100 is the national average. That puts Whiting roughly 3% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $188,200 and median rent is $949/month.
Whiting's violent crime rate is 356.7 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1649.9 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Whiting are operated by School City of Whiting. The district has 1 elementary, 1 middle, and 1 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 17.0:1. 20.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Whiting, IN has a population of 4,574, a median household income of $59,740, and an unemployment rate of 8.9%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Whiting averages 31.9°F in January and 81.0°F in July. Annual rainfall is 40.3 inches with about 38.8 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
The population of Whiting, Indiana is 4,574 with a median age of 34.6. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Whiting: cost of living index 103 (100 = US average), median home $188,200, median household income $59,740, crime index 88 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B-. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Whiting side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.