CitytisticsShortlist

Cost of living, pay and housing

41.25° N · 85.45° W · GEOID 1876526

Tri-Lakes

Whitley County, Indiana · part of the Fort Wayne, IN metro

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

IndianaTri-Lakes, INTri-LakesTri-Lakes

The short answer

Tri-Lakes is home to 1,025 people. Median household income is $115,250 a year and median rent is $934 a month, 9.7% 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 $323,500, about 2.8x annual median household income.

Median gross rent
$934
32% below the median place
Median household income
$115,250
44% above the median place
Median home value
$323,500
1% above 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 Tri-Lakes

  • 98% of homes are owner-occupied, more than in 99% of the 2,476 places under 10,000 people we track. It is the highest of 132 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.
  • The median rent takes only 9.7% of the median household's income, a smaller share than in 98% of places its size. It is the 3rd-lowest of 132 Indiana places.
01

Moving to Tri-Lakes

Whitley County gains about 1.2 residents per 1,000 a year to moves between counties.

Moved in1,643
Moved out1,605
Net+38

Where people come from and where they go, top counties

Within Indiana, other states or abroad

Arrivals
Leavers
Within IndianaOther states

Income per tax return

Arrivals$74K
Leavers$57K

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

Who moves here
6.3% of residents arrived from another county in the past year, 0.0% from another state. County figure.
Who arrives and who leaves
Households moving into Whitley County report $73,800 a year in income on average; those leaving, $56,900, so newcomers earn more than leavers.
Income you would need
$37,400 a year to rent the median home at the 30% line. From your city
Rent or buy
Median rent is $934 a month; owners with a mortgage pay $1,621 a month including taxes and insurance, on a median home of $323,500.
Getting to work
29 minutes each way on average; 8.1% work from home.
If it is close but not quite
Chesterland, OH matches it on character. Compare the two
Moved from another state1
0.0%
below the median place (median 2.0%)
Income of households moving out7
$56,918
19% below the median place
Net movers per 1,000 people7
1.2
above the median place (median -0.6)
All 5 moving measures
MeasureTri-LakesAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Moved here in the past year1County figure6.3%11% above
Moved from another state10.0%below (median 2.0%)
Net movers per 1,000 people7County figure1.2above (median -0.6)
Income of households moving in7County figure$73,8415% above
Income of households moving out7County figure$56,91819% below
02

What it costs to live here

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

Tri-Lakes9.7%
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
$37,360
a year, at the 30% line
Rent to income
9.7%
52% below the median place
Home price to income
2.8x
26% below the median place

Could you afford it?

The median rent would take
10%
comfortably under the 30% line
Left after rent, in US prices
$107,300
a year
Vs the typical household here
Same
as the median household

Uses the median rent in Tri-Lakes, $934 a month, and local prices for everything else (96.7 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 Tri-Lakes.

Sponsored · exampleMoving to Tri-Lakes? 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%)
Homeownership1
98.3%
48% above the median place
Vacant homes1
31.8%
350% above the median place
All 16 cost and housing measures
MeasureTri-LakesAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median gross rent1County figure$93432% below
Rent to income19.7%52% below
Property tax rate10.6%33% below
Home price to income12.8x26% below
Prices vs US average2Metro figure92.68% below
Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms3County figure$1,24823% below
HUD area median income4County figure$95,10011% below
Property tax paid (median)1$1,97739% below
Median home value1$323,5001% above
Home prices, 1-year change5County figure4.0%26% above
Home prices, 5-year change5County figure57.1%11% above
Homeownership198.3%48% above
Renters paying 30%+10.0%below (median 50.6%)
Owner costs with a mortgage1$1,62113% below
Vacant homes131.8%350% above
Median year built119850% 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%)
Commutes by transit1
0.0%
below the median place (median 0.8%)
Income per person1
$57,924
45% above the median place
All 10 work and pay measures
MeasureTri-LakesAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median household income1$115,25044% above
Income per person1$57,92445% above
Unemployment10.0%below (median 4.9%)
Average annual pay6County figure$60,0049% below
Pay growth, 1 year6County figure2.8%24% below
Jobs6County figure14,18391% below
Poverty rate1County figure9.9%8% below
Mean commute129 min14% above
Works from home1County figure8.1%35% below
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%)
No health insurance1
0.0%
below the median place (median 6.4%)
Median age1
54.1
39% above the median place

More about who lives here, against the typical place

High school or higher97.1% +5%
Household size2.2 −12%
Homes with broadband95.1% +3%
Bachelor's or higher41.8% +31%
All 8 people measures
MeasureTri-LakesAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Population11,0256646th largest
Median age154.139% above
Bachelor's or higher141.8%31% above
High school or higher197.1%5% above
Household size12.212% below
Born abroad10.0%below (median 8.8%)
No health insurance10.0%below (median 6.4%)
Homes with broadband195.1%3% above
05

Life in Tri-Lakes

6 sites are on the National Register of Historic Places.

Out the door, against the typical place

Parks per 10k residents9.8 −4%
Playgrounds per 10k29.3 3.1×
Grocery stores per 10k0.0 −100%
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k19.5 +75%
Libraries per 10k0.0 −100%
Named paths and bike trails0 km −100%
Bus and rail stops per sq mi0.0 −100%

Mapped by volunteers in OpenStreetMap inside the city limits (Census boundaries), so coverage is fuller in some places than others. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

Businesses per 10,000 residents (county figures)

Restaurants and bars15.0 −28%
Shops26.3 −13%
Arts, recreation and fitness4.3 +5%
Doctors' offices and clinics9.8 −51%
Child care centers1.8 −22%

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

Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k8
9.8
51% below the median place
Restaurants and bars per 10k8
15.0
28% below the median place
Child care centers per 10k8
1.8
22% below the median place
All 16 schools and local life measures
MeasureTri-LakesAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Public schools11County figure1233% above
Public school students11County figure5,59414% above
Students per teacher11County figure14.37% below
Restaurants and bars per 10k8County figure15.028% below
Shops per 10k8County figure26.313% below
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k8County figure4.35% above
Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k8County figure9.851% below
Child care centers per 10k8Metro figure1.822% below
Parks per 10k99.84% below
Playgrounds per 10k929.3211% above
Grocery stores per 10k90.0below (median 2.1)
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k919.575% above
Libraries per 10k90.0below (median 0.9)
Named paths and bike trails90.0below (median 2.0)
Transit stops per sq mi90.0below (median 0.2)
National Register listings10County figure654% below
06

Safety, weather and risk

Natural hazard risk is 24.6, 73% 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 Tri-Lakes. Larger places are fetched first.

Natural hazard risk13
24.6
73% below the median place
Wildfire risk13
10.2
83% below the median place
Heat wave risk13
53.1
41% below the median place
All 11 weather and risk measures
MeasureTri-LakesAmong 6,645 placesVs median
July average high12County figure84°F4% below
January average low12County figure17°F31% below
Average temperature12County figure50°F9% below
Annual precipitation12County figure38.8 in11% below
Natural hazard risk13County figure24.673% below
Hurricane risk13County figure26.762% below
Tornado risk13County figure60.925% below
Wildfire risk13County figure10.283% below
Heat wave risk13County figure53.141% below
Median air quality index14County figure399% below
Good air days14County figure64.2%6% below
08

Tri-Lakes in 2030: where the trends point

Citytistics projections to 2030: each figure's own trend, blended with the typical trend across the places we rate, eased toward long-run US growth and carried forward from the latest release. The range is where 80% of places landed when we tested the same method on past releases.

MeasureLatest2030 projectionLikely rangeAvg. per year
Median household income$115,250 (2024)$147,500$125,000 to $174,500+4.2%
Median home value$323,500 (2024)$453,000$329,000 to $624,000+5.8%

The median home would be worth 3.1 years of the median income in 2030, against 2.8 now.

A projection of recent trends, not a prediction of the economy or advice to buy or sell. How we project.

09

Places like Tri-Lakes

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

PlaceRentIncome
Chesterland, OH$839$107,898Compare
Apple Valley, OH$1,165$100,593Compare
Clarkston Heights-Vineland, WA$1,125$101,286Compare
Kirtland, OH$874$110,455Compare
Kirtland, OHClarkston Heights-Vineland, WAApple Valley, OHChesterland, OHTri-Lakes, INTri-LakesChesterlandApple ValleyClarkston Heights-VinelandKirtlandTri-LakesChesterlandApple ValleyClarkston Heights-VinelandKirtland

Common questions

Is Tri-Lakes a good place to live?

It depends on what you need, so here is what the numbers say. 98% of homes are owner-occupied, more than in 99% of the 2,476 places under 10,000 people we track. It is the highest of 132 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 Tri-Lakes expensive to live in?

The median rent takes 9.7% 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 $323,500.

What salary do you need to live in Tri-Lakes?

To rent the median home without spending more than 30% of income on rent, a household needs about $37,360 a year. Work it out from your current city.

What places are similar to Tri-Lakes?

On income, rent, home value, education and age, the closest matches are Chesterland, OH, Apple Valley, OH, Clarkston Heights-Vineland, WA and Kirtland, 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. OpenStreetMap · © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License (ODbL) · Map data as of 2026-11
  10. National Register of Historic Places · National Park Service · Listings through 2026-05-22
  11. Common Core of Data · National Center for Education Statistics · 2024 release
  12. 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
  13. National Risk Index · Federal Emergency Management Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14NRI data and maps
  14. 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 Tri-Lakes with places of a similar size, using only figures measured for Tri-Lakes itself; county and metro figures never count. Survey figures are estimates with margins of error. Formulas and definitions: methodology. API: /api/v1/places/tri-lakes-indiana

Citytistics. “Tri-Lakes, Indiana.” Data as of 2026-11-14. https://www.citytistics.com/city/tri-lakes-indiana/

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