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Cost of living, pay and housing

39.73° N · 86.93° W · GEOID 1878380

Van Bibber Lake

Putnam County, Indiana · part of the Greencastle, IN metro

Limited data population under 5,000

IndianaVan Bibber Lake, INVan Bibber LakeVan Bibber Lake

The short answer

Van Bibber Lake is home to 658 people. Median household income is $37,315 a year and median rent is $813 a month, 26.1% of income (a ratio of two medians, not any one household's burden). Rent pressure is moderate. The median home is valued at $65,500, about 1.8x annual median household income.

Median gross rent
$813
40% below the median place
Median household income
$37,315
54% below the median place
Median home value
$65,500
79% below the median place
Unemployment
3.1%
37% below the median place

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 Van Bibber Lake

  • Between the 2019 and 2024 surveys, household income rose 10.8% a year while rent rose -4.2%, so pay gained on rent more than in 99% of the 2,476 places under 10,000 people we track. It is the lowest of 131 Indiana places.
  • The median home is valued at $65,500, less than in 99% of places its size. It is the lowest of 132 Indiana places.
  • The median household earns $37,315 a year, less than in 97% of places its size. It is the 2nd-lowest of 132 Indiana places.
  • 32% of homes stand vacant, more than in 95% of places its size. It is the highest of 106 Indiana places.
  • The median rent takes 26.1% of the median household's income, a bigger share than in 87% of places its size.
01

Moving to Van Bibber Lake

Putnam County gains about 4.1 residents per 1,000 a year to moves between counties.

Moved in1,917
Moved out1,797
Net+120

Where people come from and where they go, top counties

Clay County, IN114153−39
Owen County, IN9899−1
Parke County, IN4877−29

Within Indiana, other states or abroad

Arrivals
Leavers
Within IndianaOther states

Income per tax return

Arrivals$61K
Leavers$52K

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

Who moves here
7.2% 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 Putnam County report $60,800 a year in income on average; those leaving, $51,800, so newcomers earn more than leavers.
Income you would need
$32,500 a year to rent the median home at the 30% line. From your city
Rent or buy
Median rent is $813 a month; owners with a mortgage pay $998 a month including taxes and insurance, on a median home of $65,500.
Getting to work
28 minutes each way on average; 10.1% work from home.
If it is close but not quite
Clarksdale, MS matches it on character. Compare the two
Moved from another state1
0.0%
below the median place (median 2.0%)
Income of households moving out6
$51,803
26% below the median place
Net movers per 1,000 people6
4.1
above the median place (median -0.6)
All 5 moving measures
MeasureVan Bibber LakeAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Moved here in the past year1County figure7.2%25% above
Moved from another state10.0%below (median 2.0%)
Net movers per 1,000 people6County figure4.1above (median -0.6)
Income of households moving in6County figure$60,83714% below
Income of households moving out6County figure$51,80326% below
02

What it costs to live here

Median home value is $65,500, 79% below the median place.

Van Bibber Lake26.1%
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
$32,520
a year, at the 30% line
Rent to income
26.1%
28% above the median place
Home price to income
1.8x
54% below the median place

Could you afford it?

The median rent would take
26%
just under the 30% line
Left after rent, in US prices
$27,200
a year, prices not adjusted
Vs the typical household here
Same
as the median household

Uses the median rent in Van Bibber Lake, $813 a month. It runs in your browser and stores nothing.

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

Sponsored · exampleMoving to Van Bibber Lake? Compare quotes from licensed movers. No partner is signed yet. Sponsored offers are always labelled and never change the data.
Median home value1
$65,500
79% below the median place
Owner costs with a mortgage1
$998
47% below the median place
Vacant homes1
31.9%
353% above the median place
All 15 cost and housing measures
MeasureVan Bibber LakeAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median gross rent1$81340% below
Rent to income126.1%28% above
Property tax rate11.3%41% above
Home price to income11.8x54% below
Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms2County figure$1,05635% below
HUD area median income3County figure$93,50013% below
Property tax paid (median)1$84174% below
Median home value1$65,50079% below
Home prices, 1-year change4County figure4.1%29% above
Home prices, 5-year change4County figure56.0%9% above
Homeownership169.5%5% above
Renters paying 30%+1County figure50.2%1% below
Owner costs with a mortgage1$99847% below
Vacant homes131.9%353% above
Median year built119790% above
03

Work and pay

Commutes by transit is 0.0%, below the median place (median 0.8%).

Commutes by transit1
0.0%
below the median place (median 0.8%)
Median household income1
$37,315
54% below the median place
Income per person1
$19,953
50% below the median place
All 10 work and pay measures
MeasureVan Bibber LakeAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median household income1$37,31554% below
Income per person1$19,95350% below
Unemployment1County figure3.1%37% below
Average annual pay5County figure$52,99620% below
Pay growth, 1 year5County figure4.6%24% above
Jobs5County figure12,56292% below
Poverty rate1County figure8.7%19% below
Mean commute1County figure28 min10% above
Works from home1County figure10.1%19% below
Commutes by transit10.0%below (median 0.8%)
04

Who lives here

Homes with broadband is 84.0%, 9% below the median place.

Homes with broadband1
84.0%
9% below the median place
Median age1
34.9
11% below the median place
High school or higher1
88.7%
4% below the median place
All 8 people measures
MeasureVan Bibber LakeAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Population16586646th largest
Median age134.911% below
Bachelor's or higher1County figure20.2%37% below
High school or higher188.7%4% below
Household size12.50% above
Born abroad1County figure2.4%73% below
No health insurance1County figure4.6%28% below
Homes with broadband184.0%9% below
05

Life in Van Bibber Lake

34 sites are on the National Register of Historic Places.

Businesses per 10,000 residents (county figures)

Restaurants and bars17.2 −17%
Shops30.3 +0%
Arts, recreation and fitness2.1 −49%
Doctors' offices and clinics9.1 −55%
Child care centers1.3 −43%

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

Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k7
9.1
55% below the median place
Child care centers per 10k7
1.3
43% below the median place
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k7
2.1
49% below the median place
All 9 schools and local life measures
MeasureVan Bibber LakeAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Public schools9County figure19111% above
Public school students9County figure7,32250% above
Students per teacher9County figure19.627% above
Restaurants and bars per 10k7County figure17.217% below
Shops per 10k7County figure30.30% above
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k7County figure2.149% below
Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k7County figure9.155% below
Child care centers per 10k7County figure1.343% below
National Register listings8County figure34162% above
06

Safety, weather and risk

Wildfire risk is 10.0, 84% 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 Van Bibber Lake. Larger places are fetched first.

Wildfire risk11
10.0
84% below the median place
Natural hazard risk11
42.8
54% below the median place
Heat wave risk11
52.4
42% below the median place
All 9 weather and risk measures
MeasureVan Bibber LakeAmong 6,645 placesVs median
July average high10County figure84°F3% below
January average low10County figure19°F24% below
Average temperature10County figure52°F5% below
Annual precipitation10County figure44.8 in2% above
Natural hazard risk11County figure42.854% below
Hurricane risk11County figure19.572% below
Tornado risk11County figure63.023% below
Wildfire risk11County figure10.084% below
Heat wave risk11County figure52.442% below
08

Van Bibber Lake in 2030: where the trends point

If recent trends hold, the median rent will take about 25% of the median income in 2030, down from 26% now.

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 rent$813/mo (2024)$1,000/mo$820 to $1,220/mo+3.5%
Median household income$37,315 (2024)$47,500$40,000 to $56,000+4.1%
Median home value$65,500 (2024)$87,000$63,000 to $120,000+4.9%

The median home would be worth 1.8 years of the median income in 2030, against 1.8 now.

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

09

Places like Van Bibber Lake

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

PlaceRentIncome
Clarksdale, MS$774$36,382Compare
Kosciusko, MS$814$40,085Compare
Marion, IN$805$43,343Compare
Leesville, LA$894$37,500Compare
Leesville, LAMarion, INKosciusko, MSClarksdale, MSVan Bibber Lake, INVan Bibber LakeClarksdaleKosciuskoMarionLeesvilleVan Bibber LakeClarksdaleKosciuskoMarionLeesville

Common questions

Is Van Bibber Lake a good place to live?

It depends on what you need, so here is what the numbers say. Between the 2019 and 2024 surveys, household income rose 10.8% a year while rent rose -4.2%, so pay gained on rent more than in 99% of the 2,476 places under 10,000 people we track. It is the lowest of 131 Indiana places. The median home is valued at $65,500, less than in 99% of places its size. It is the lowest of 132 Indiana places. See how it ranks with your own weights.

Is Van Bibber Lake expensive to live in?

The median rent takes 26.1% of the median household income, against 20.4% in the typical place we track. Housing is a heavier load here than usual. The median home is valued at $65,500.

What salary do you need to live in Van Bibber Lake?

To rent the median home without spending more than 30% of income on rent, a household needs about $32,520 a year. Work it out from your current city.

What places are similar to Van Bibber Lake?

On income, rent, home value, education and age, the closest matches are Clarksdale, MS, Kosciusko, MS, Marion, IN and Leesville, LA.

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. Fair Market Rents · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2027
  3. Income Limits · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2026
  4. House Price Index · Federal Housing Finance Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  5. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages · US Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2025 annual averages
  6. 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.
  7. County Business Patterns · US Census Bureau · 2023 data
  8. National Register of Historic Places · National Park Service · Listings through 2026-05-22
  9. Common Core of Data · National Center for Education Statistics · 2024 release
  10. 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
  11. National Risk Index · Federal Emergency Management Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14NRI data and maps

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 Van Bibber Lake with places of a similar size, using only figures measured for Van Bibber Lake itself; county and metro figures never count. Survey figures are estimates with margins of error. Formulas and definitions: methodology. API: /api/v1/places/van-bibber-lake-indiana

Citytistics. “Van Bibber Lake, Indiana.” Data as of 2026-11-14. https://www.citytistics.com/city/van-bibber-lake-indiana/

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