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Cost of living, pay and housing

41.43° N · 87.18° W · GEOID 1841112

Lake Eliza

Porter County, Indiana · part of the Chicago, IL metro

Limited data population under 5,000, core figures borrowed from county or metro: median_household_income, median_gross_rent

IndianaLake Eliza, INLake ElizaLake Eliza

The short answer

Lake Eliza is home to 545 people. Median household income is $87,972 a year and median rent is $1,219 a month, 16.6% of income (a ratio of two medians, not any one household's burden). Rent pressure is lighter than in most places. The median home is valued at $173,000, about 2.0x annual median household income.

Median gross rent
$1,219
11% below the median place
Median household income
$87,972
10% above the median place
Median home value
$173,000
46% below the median place
Unemployment
0.0%
below the median place (median 4.9%)

Compared with the median of the 6,645 places we track. The bundle was checked 2026-11-14; each measure may refer to an older release.

What stands out about Lake Eliza

  • Only 0% of workers mostly work from home, fewer than in 99% of the 2,104 places under 10,000 people we track. It is the lowest of 123 Indiana places.
  • 0% of residents were born outside the US, fewer than in 99% of places its size. It is the lowest of 103 Indiana places.
  • Unemployment averaged 0.0% over the survey period, lower than in 99% of places its size. It is the lowest of 98 Indiana places.
  • Only 0% of renter households spend 30% or more of income on rent, a lower share than in 98% of places its size. It is the lowest of 124 Indiana places.
  • Half the homes were built after 2010, newer housing than in 98% of places its size. It is the 3rd-highest of 132 Indiana places.

Rent is light relative to pay, but the county has a FEMA natural hazard risk score of 81 out of 100. Budget for insurance before counting the savings.

01

Moving to Lake Eliza

Porter County gains about 3.9 residents per 1,000 a year to moves between counties.

Moved in7,765
Moved out7,176
Net+589

Where people come from and where they go, top counties

Lake County, IN2,9402,142+798
Cook County, IL857455+402
Starke County, IN99144−45

Within Indiana, other states or abroad

Arrivals
Leavers
Within IndianaOther states

Income per tax return

Arrivals$71K
Leavers$65K

People on tax returns who moved between counties, from IRS migration data, 2022 to 2023. Figures are for all of Porter County; flows under 20 returns are not published.

Who moves here
5.3% of residents arrived from another county in the past year, 1.8% from another state. County figure.
Who arrives and who leaves
Households moving into Porter County report $70,700 a year in income on average; those leaving, $65,200, so newcomers earn more than leavers.
Income you would need
$48,800 a year to rent the median home at the 30% line. From your city
Rent or buy
Median rent is $1,219 a month; owners with a mortgage pay $1,653 a month including taxes and insurance, on a median home of $173,000.
Getting to work
28 minutes each way on average; 0.0% work from home.
If it is close but not quite
Rotterdam, NY matches it on character. Compare the two
Net movers per 1,000 people7
3.9
above the median place (median -0.6)
Income of households moving out7
$65,221
7% below the median place
Moved here in the past year1
5.3%
8% below the median place
All 5 moving measures
MeasureLake ElizaAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Moved here in the past year1County figure5.3%8% below
Moved from another state1County figure1.8%9% below
Net movers per 1,000 people7County figure3.9above (median -0.6)
Income of households moving in7County figure$70,7170% above
Income of households moving out7County figure$65,2217% below
02

What it costs to live here

Renters paying 30%+ is 0.0%, below the median place (median 50.6%).

Lake Eliza16.6%
Typical place20.4%

Share of the median household income that goes to the median rent. Above 30% is the usual stress line.

Income needed to rent
$48,760
a year, at the 30% line
Rent to income
16.6%
19% below the median place
Home price to income
2.0x
48% below the median place

Could you afford it?

The median rent would take
17%
comfortably under the 30% line
Left after rent, in US prices
$72,000
a year
Vs the typical household here
Same
as the median household

Uses the median rent in Lake Eliza, $1,219 a month, and local prices for everything else (101.9 against a US average of 100). It runs in your browser and stores nothing.

Moving from somewhere else? Work out the salary you would need in Lake Eliza.

Sponsored · exampleMoving to Lake Eliza? Compare quotes from licensed movers. No partner is signed yet. Sponsored offers are always labelled and never change the data.
Renters paying 30%+1
0.0%
below the median place (median 50.6%)
Vacant homes1
0.0%
below the median place (median 7.1%)
Median year built1
2010
2% above the median place
All 16 cost and housing measures
MeasureLake ElizaAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median gross rent1County figure$1,21911% below
Rent to income116.6%19% below
Property tax rate11.3%47% above
Home price to income12.0x48% below
Prices vs US average2Metro figure103.63% above
Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms3County figure$1,42912% below
HUD area median income4County figure$100,9006% below
Property tax paid (median)1County figure$2,32629% below
Median home value1$173,00046% below
Home prices, 1-year change5County figure3.6%14% above
Home prices, 5-year change5County figure47.8%7% below
Homeownership193.8%41% above
Renters paying 30%+10.0%below (median 50.6%)
Owner costs with a mortgage1County figure$1,65312% below
Vacant homes10.0%below (median 7.1%)
Median year built120102% above
03

Work and pay

Unemployment is 0.0%, below the median place (median 4.9%).

Unemployment1
0.0%
below the median place (median 4.9%)
Works from home1
0.0%
below the median place (median 12.4%)
Commutes by transit1
0.0%
below the median place (median 0.8%)
All 10 work and pay measures
MeasureLake ElizaAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median household income1County figure$87,97210% above
Income per person1County figure$44,21610% above
Unemployment10.0%below (median 4.9%)
Average annual pay6County figure$62,5205% below
Pay growth, 1 year6County figure7.4%100% above
Jobs6County figure63,89858% below
Poverty rate1County figure9.6%11% below
Mean commute1County figure28 min14% above
Works from home10.0%below (median 12.4%)
Commutes by transit10.0%below (median 0.8%)
04

Who lives here

Born abroad is 0.0%, below the median place (median 8.8%).

Born abroad1
0.0%
below the median place (median 8.8%)
Household size1
2.8
12% above the median place
Median age1
41.4
6% above the median place
All 8 people measures
MeasureLake ElizaAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Population15456646th largest
Median age141.46% above
Bachelor's or higher1County figure31.1%3% below
High school or higher1County figure94.0%2% above
Household size12.812% above
Born abroad10.0%below (median 8.8%)
No health insurance1County figure5.0%22% below
Homes with broadband1County figure93.0%1% above
05

Life in Lake Eliza

44 sites are on the National Register of Historic Places, one of them a National Historic Landmark.

Businesses per 10,000 residents (county figures)

Restaurants and bars19.4 −7%
Shops26.5 −13%
Arts, recreation and fitness2.9 −29%
Doctors' offices and clinics19.3 −4%
Child care centers1.3 −43%

Counts businesses with paid staff, so small owner-run shops are not included.

Child care centers per 10k8
1.3
43% below the median place
Public schools10
54
above the median place (median 9)
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k8
2.9
29% below the median place
All 9 schools and local life measures
MeasureLake ElizaAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Public schools10County figure54above (median 9)
Public school students10County figure25,813above (median 4,897)
Students per teacher10County figure15.72% above
Restaurants and bars per 10k8County figure19.47% below
Shops per 10k8County figure26.513% below
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k8County figure2.929% below
Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k8County figure19.34% below
Child care centers per 10k8County figure1.343% below
National Register listings9County figure44238% above
06

Safety, weather and risk

Hurricane risk is 13.2, 81% below the median place.

No crime figure yet. Either the city police department did not report to the FBI for the latest year, or our monthly fetch has not reached Lake Eliza. Larger places are fetched first.

Hurricane risk12
13.2
81% below the median place
January average low11
17°F
33% below the median place
Average temperature11
50°F
9% below the median place
All 11 weather and risk measures
MeasureLake ElizaAmong 6,645 placesVs median
July average high11County figure83°F4% below
January average low11County figure17°F33% below
Average temperature11County figure50°F9% below
Annual precipitation11County figure39.2 in11% below
Natural hazard risk12County figure81.412% below
Hurricane risk12County figure13.281% below
Tornado risk12County figure94.416% above
Wildfire risk12County figure60.51% below
Heat wave risk12County figure70.422% below
Median air quality index13County figure442% above
Good air days13County figure61.9%10% below
08

Places like Lake Eliza

The closest matches on income, rent, home value, education and age, and the places nearby.

PlaceRentIncome
Rotterdam, NY$1,278$85,887Compare
Fairview Heights, IL$1,174$80,930Compare
Allen Park, MI$1,246$81,655Compare
Howland Center, OH$1,116$86,135Compare
Howland Center, OHAllen Park, MIFairview Heights, ILRotterdam, NYLake Eliza, INLake ElizaRotterdamFairview HeightsLake ElizaRotterdamFairview Heights

Common questions

Is Lake Eliza a good place to live?

It depends on what you need, so here is what the numbers say. Only 0% of workers mostly work from home, fewer than in 99% of the 2,104 places under 10,000 people we track. It is the lowest of 123 Indiana places. 0% of residents were born outside the US, fewer than in 99% of places its size. It is the lowest of 103 Indiana places. See how it ranks with your own weights.

Is Lake Eliza expensive to live in?

The median rent takes 16.6% of the median household income, against 20.4% in the typical place we track. Housing is a lighter load here than usual. The median home is valued at $173,000.

What salary do you need to live in Lake Eliza?

To rent the median home without spending more than 30% of income on rent, a household needs about $48,760 a year. Work it out from your current city.

What places are similar to Lake Eliza?

On income, rent, home value, education and age, the closest matches are Rotterdam, NY, Fairview Heights, IL, Allen Park, MI and Howland Center, OH.

Sources and methods

The small numbers beside each measure point here. Every dataset is public; links go to the publisher.

  1. American Community Survey 5-year estimates · US Census Bureau · 2020 to 2024 estimatesTables B01002, B01003, B05002, B07003, B08013, B08301, B15003, B17001, B19013, B19301, B23025, B25002, B25003, B25010, B25035, B25064, B25070, B25077, B25088, B25103, B28002, S2701
  2. Regional Price Parities · US Bureau of Economic Analysis · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  3. Fair Market Rents · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2027
  4. Income Limits · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2026
  5. House Price Index · Federal Housing Finance Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  6. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages · US Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2025 annual averages
  7. SOI Tax Stats, county-to-county migration · Internal Revenue Service · Tax years 2022 to 2023Counts tax returns and the people on them; flows under 20 returns are suppressed.
  8. County Business Patterns · US Census Bureau · 2023 data
  9. National Register of Historic Places · National Park Service · Listings through 2026-05-22
  10. Common Core of Data · National Center for Education Statistics · 2024 release
  11. 1991-2020 climate normals · NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · Series updated 2026-11-05Averages for 1991 to 2020 computed from NOAA's county climate series (nClimDiv).nClimDiv county series
  12. National Risk Index · Federal Emergency Management Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14NRI data and maps
  13. Air Quality System, annual AQI by county · US Environmental Protection Agency · 2025 dataAirData download files

Derived by Citytistics from the tables above: rent to income (B25064, B19013); property tax rate (B25103, B25077); home price to income (B25077, B19013).

What stands out compares Lake Eliza with places of a similar size, using only figures measured for Lake Eliza itself; county and metro figures never count. Survey figures are estimates with margins of error. Formulas and definitions: methodology. API: /api/v1/places/lake-eliza-indiana

Citytistics. “Lake Eliza, Indiana.” Data as of 2026-11-14. https://www.citytistics.com/city/lake-eliza-indiana/

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.