Lake Station, IN vs Merrillville, IN

Lake Station is moderately more affordable than Merrillville, with a 12.5% lower cost of living index. Lake Station scores 80 compared to 91 for Merrillville, where the US average is 100. This difference means residents of Merrillville can expect to pay noticeably more for everyday expenses, housing, and services.

On the housing front, median rent in Lake Station is $1,115/month compared to $1,304/month in Merrillville — a 15% difference. Home values follow the same pattern: Lake Station is more affordable at $124,800 median vs $194,000.

Median household income in Lake Station is $56,306 compared to $64,791 in Merrillville (-13.1%). While Merrillville is more expensive, its higher salaries more than compensate — residents there may actually end up with more disposable income. Looking at affordability, residents of Lake Station spend roughly 23.8% of their income on rent, less than the 24.2% in Merrillville.