Rents are 8% below what Gary's 10-year trend predicts — a better deal than its own history suggests.
Rent by unit size
These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $1,367 market median above, and that is expected: FMR is the 40th percentile of standard-quality units and counts gross rent, so it includes essential utilities such as electricity, water, gas, sewer, and trash. The market median is asking rent, which usually excludes utilities. HUD sets FMR once a year; market rent here updates monthly.
Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents. Read the methodology →
12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
December. Asking rents in Gary usually run 0.7% below trend in December and 0.7% above it in June, about $19 a month apart at today's median. Based on 5 years of data.
Rent in Gary is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in August 2020.
Rent in Gary changed +4.9% over the year to September 2026. Across the 49 Indiana cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +4.5%.
Rent rose in 9 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($38,731) is $968 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 1-bedroom ($963); a 2-bedroom is $1,170.
East Chicago, 8 miles away, rents for 24% less ($1,040/mo), about $3,900 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Gary. The seasonal pattern compares Zillow’s seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.
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Who lives here
Gary, IN is roughly split between renters and owners, has a large share of families with children, has a median income below the national average, 14.8% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Gary, IN has changed in 5 years
Five years ago, renters in Gary, IN paid around $868 a month. That figure now sits near $1,367, up 57.5% from the 2021 baseline. Median household income climbed from $34,085 to $38,731 between 2021 and 2024, a 13.6% shift. Because rent grew faster than wages over the same span, the affordability picture has tightened relative to 2021. Census counts show Gary, IN losing about 1,626 residents over the five-year window, down 2.3% on net. Taken together, the five-year picture in Gary, IN reflects how housing costs and the people paying them have evolved through a stretch that included a pandemic, a hot rental market, and a recent cooling phase.
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At $1,367/mo, how Gary rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Gary rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Gary. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Gary
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Gary is $1,367/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $840/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,170/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $963/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,443/mo.
At 42% of local median household income ($38,731/yr), Gary ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 4.9% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Gary?
At $1,367/mo, rent takes ~42% of Gary's median household income ($38,731/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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