Residential comparison · 13 facts
Merrillville, IN vs Portage, IN
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Merrillville needs about $84,500 in Portage to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Portage, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $85,500 in Merrillville.
A few differences
- Portage is higher on median household income ($76,276 vs $67,587).
- Portage is lower on cost of living index (84 vs 88).
- Portage is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($1,197/mo vs $1,488/mo).
Merrillville vs Portage · facet by facet
| Facet | Merrillville, IN | Portage, IN |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $211,400 | $224,200 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,488/mo | $1,197/mo |
| Property tax rate | 0.83% | 0.83% |
| State & local income tax | 4.55% | 4.75% |
| Sales tax | 7% | 7% |
| Cost of living index | 88 | 84 |
| Groceries index | 95 | 95 |
| Utilities | $165/mo | $165/mo |
| Median household income | $67,587 | $76,276 |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% | 3.6% |
| Crime index | 45/100 | 45/100 |
| School rating | 5.8/10 | 5.8/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 190 days | 190 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Merrillville, IN · Portage, IN
Questions & answers
- Is Merrillville cheaper than Portage?
- Portage has the lower day-to-day cost index (84 vs 88 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Portage equals $85,000 in Merrillville?
- A household earning $85,000 in Merrillville needs about $84,500 in Portage to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Portage lifestyle costs about $85,500 in Merrillville.