| Index | Merrillville | Indiana | National |
| Cost of living | 94 | 89 | 100 |
| Groceries | 97 | 97 | 100 |
| Health care | 99 | 97 | 100 |
| Housing | 89 | 72 | 100 |
| Transportation | 94 | 96 | 100 |
| Utilities | 96 | 96 | 100 |
| Lifestyle & Entertainment | 92 | 95 | 100 |
| Household Items | 98 | 98 | 100 |
| Education & Childcare | 92 | 94 | 100 |
The cost of living in Merrillville affects the quality of life one can afford in this new location. It allows people to assess whether they can maintain their preferred lifestyle, including housing, leisure activities and dining options. Your total monthly expenditures can varry depending on the area, as well as many other factors. The cost of living in Merrillville is 94, which is 6% lower than the national average. Knowledge of the cost of living can help individuals make informed decisions about retirement savings, investments, and financial goals.
Everyday expenditures like food, housing, lifestyle expenses, transportation and health care in Merrillville are priced in a manner consistent with other areas. This means that residents of Merrillville can anticipate their daily expenses remaining reasonably similar to those in an average city, thereby supporting a manageable cost of living.
Is Merrillville an affordable place to live? That's a valid question to ask when you're thinking about moving to a new city. After all, how much it costs to live somewhere can be a huge factor in your decision. Affordability can be broken down into 3 common categories. The cost of living index (we talked about it earlier), housing expenses and income levels all play a big role in figuring out if a place is affordable. For instance, in Merrillville, the median home price is 20.9% lower than what most folks pay across the country, and monthly rent prices are 10.5% higher than the usual rates. Income levels in Merrillville come in at $95,323, which is 17.2% higher than the national average.
Housing: Elevated demand for housing within coveted locales has the propensity to escalate both property values and rental rates, thereby serving as a primary catalyst for an augmented cost of living. Conversely, areas witnessing diminished housing demand, particularly within less desirable environs, often experience an inversely proportional effect, leading to price reductions and subsequently contributing to a more modest cost of living. In Merrillville, the housing index is 11.5% lower than the national average.
Taxes: Locations with elevated tax rates, encompassing both sales and income taxes, can be a factor in driving up the cost of living. When you're paying more in taxes for everyday household expenses, it naturally translates into higher expenses. Similarly, a higher income tax rate can also contribute to an overall higher cost of living. In Merrillville, the standard sales tax rate starts at 7%, and the income tax rates commence at 3.15%.
Urbanization: Urban areas with a wealth of amenities and employment opportunities tend to come with a higher price tag for living. Why? Well, more people want to be there, which drives up home prices and rents. On the flip side, less densely populated rural areas or places where there's not as much demand usually mean fewer attractions, things to do and slower job growth. That often results in a lower cost of living.
The Merrillville cost of living estimates above use a normalized U.S. average of 100 as the baseline for comparison. Housing values incorporate local home price and rental information from the U.S. Census, while all other estimates are AI-assisted and modeled using expected everyday expenses, local market trends, climate, and transportation-related cost pressures. The results are intended for practical city-to-city comparisons.
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| Educare index |
| Median Income | Per Year | Per Month | Max Budget (28% DTI) | Max Budget (36% DTI) |
| Owners | $111,064 | $9,255 | $2,591 | $3,332 |
| Renters | $57,621 | $4,802 | $1,344 | $1,729 |
| State | General Sales Tax | With Max Surtax |
| Indiana | 7% | 7% |
| State | Income Tax (Low) | Income Tax (High) |
| Indiana | 3.15% | 3.15% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Wheeler, IN | 237 | 96 | 3.8% |
| Ford Heights, IL | 2,801 | 83 | 16.6% |
| East Chicago, IN | 28,835 | 82 | 17.8% |
| Gary, IN | 77,151 | 81 | 19.3% |
| New Chicago, IN | 1,883 | 84 | 15.9% |
| Merrillville, IN | 35,881 | 94 | 6.5% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Stow, OH | 35,909 | 100 | 0.5% |
| Riviera Beach, FL | 35,972 | 110 | 9.9% |
| Pleasant Hill, CA | 35,995 | 191 | 91.2% |
| Owings Mills, MD | 35,995 | 120 | 20.0% |
| Brunswick, OH | 35,761 | 96 | 3.6% |
| Merrillville, IN | 35,881 | 94 | 6.5% |
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