Gary, IN
Census place 1827000 · pop 68,113
Founded by U.S. Steel in 1906 and the birthplace of Michael Jackson and the rest of the Jackson family.
Source ↗Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 36.5% · worse than most cities
51.9% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median 14.6% · worse than most cities
25.6% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median 152/100k · worse than most cities
1347 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities
33.1% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median 26.5% · worse than most cities
40.9% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities
-10.4% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities
$38,731 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 90.0% · worse than most cities
82.2% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities
20.7% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities
Gini 0.51 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median 24.3% · worse than most cities
14.8% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median 964/100k · worse than most cities
3358 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities
5.1% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities
49.1% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 42 AQI · worse than most cities
52 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 9.3% · worse than most cities
13.1% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median 1 days · worse than most cities
5 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 24 min · worse than most cities
26 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities
93/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities
0.97% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median $1,756/mo · better than most cities
$1,345/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median $214,900 · better than most cities
$94,700 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
Frequently asked
- Is Gary, IN a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Gary scores 25/100 — a F (Bad) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is housing cost and its weakest is adult obesity. Indiana overall ranks #18 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
- How safe is Gary, IN?
- Gary reports 1347 violent crimes per 100k and 3358 property crimes per 100k — worse than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
- Is Gary, IN expensive to live in?
- Gary has a median home value of $94,700 and typical rent around $1,345/mo — more affordable than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Gary, IN?
- Its weakest measured area is adult obesity (51.9%) — 0/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is Gary, IN best at?
- Its strongest measured area is housing cost ($94,700) — 98/100, better than most U.S. cities. Fun fact: Founded by U.S. Steel in 1906 and the birthplace of Michael Jackson and the rest of the Jackson family.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.