South Bend, IN
Census place 1871000 · pop 103,085
Home of the University of Notre Dame and the former Studebaker automobile factories.
Source ↗Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 152/100k · worse than most cities
867 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities
20.3% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median 14.6% · worse than most cities
18.2% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities
20.8% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median 26.5% · worse than most cities
31.6% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities
Gini 0.48 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median 36.5% · worse than most cities
39.7% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities
$55,786 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 9.3% · worse than most cities
12.6% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median 90.0% · worse than most cities
88.9% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median 964/100k · worse than most cities
1906 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities
4.1% 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 +2.4% · worse than most cities
+1.0% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities
60.2% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 42 AQI · worse than most cities
45 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 24.3% · worse than most cities
29.3% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median 1 days · better than most cities
2 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 0.99% · better than most cities
0.95% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median 77/100 · better than most cities
73/100 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 24 min · better than most cities
20 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median $1,756/mo · better than most cities
$1,289/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median $214,900 · better than most cities
$140,400 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
Frequently asked
- Is South Bend, IN a good place to live?
- By the numbers, South Bend scores 40/100 — a D− (Rough) 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 violent crime rate. 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 South Bend, IN?
- South Bend reports 867 violent crimes per 100k and 1906 property crimes per 100k — worse than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
- Is South Bend, IN expensive to live in?
- South Bend has a median home value of $140,400 and typical rent around $1,289/mo — more affordable than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in South Bend, IN?
- Its weakest measured area is violent crime rate (867/100k) — 5/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is South Bend, IN best at?
- Its strongest measured area is housing cost ($140,400) — 88/100, better than most U.S. cities. Fun fact: Home of the University of Notre Dame and the former Studebaker automobile factories.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.