How much does it cost to rent in Merrillville, IN?

As of August 2026, the median monthly rent in Merrillville, IN is $1,533. This figure is based on aggregated data from public sources and community-submitted rents.

Is Merrillville cheaper than other Indiana cities?

Merrillville falls in the middle range for Indiana, ranking #27 out of 62 cities at $1,533/mo.

When was Merrillville rent data last updated?

Merrillville rent data reflects August 2026 and was last refreshed on August 17, 2026. RentDataNow refreshes all data monthly using public and private datasets.

What is the Fair Market Rent in Merrillville, IN?

HUD sets the Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom home in Merrillville, IN at $1,440 per month, which is 6% below the $1,533 market median. Fair Market Rent is the Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) payment standard. It is a 40th-percentile gross rent that includes essential utilities such as electricity, water, gas, sewer, and trash, and HUD updates it once a year, so it measures something different from current market asking rent.

City Report · IN

Merrillville

Name: Average Rent Prices in Merrillville, IN
Creator: RentDataNow
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Pop. 36,476·27th most expensive in Indiana·Rental market data updated monthly for Merrillville, IN

Median rent (all units)

$1,533/mo

Year-over-Year

+2.6%

Month-over-Month

-1.1%

vs US Median

-$429

Falling (Monthly)

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Most AffordableMost Expensive

Merrillville · $1,533

More affordable than 74% of US cities · National median $1,962/mo

Rent Reality Score

57/100

Fairly priced

OverheatedFairGreat value

Rents are 4% below what Merrillville's 10-year trend predicts — a better deal than its own history suggests.

Actual rent

$1,533/mo

Expected by trend

$1,591/mo

The Rent Reality Score compares today's median rent to where Merrillville's own long-run trajectory projects it should be. See the full rankings →

Medians by bedroom

Rent by unit size

Studio

$1,030

1 BR

$1,190

2 BR

$1,440

3 BR

$1,770

4 BR+

$1,910

Fair Market Rent (HUD)

$1,440/mo

These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $1,533 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 →

Rent trends

12-month history

Loading…

Last updated: August 17, 2026

Annual cost

$18,396/yr

At $1,533/mo median

Rent Market Meter

Balanced Market

Renter's MarketBalancedLandlord's Market

Rents are roughly steady, with neither renters nor landlords holding a strong edge right now.

Based on rent-price momentum (+2.6% YoY, -1.1% MoM), not inventory.

Rent check

Is your rent fair?

Compare your rent to the local median.

Demographics

Who lives here

Merrillville, IN is majority owner-occupied, has a large retiree population, 26.1% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Population

36,476

Median income

$67,587

Median age

42.4

Renters

29.5%

Age distribution

20.5%

21.1%

23.7%

14%

20.7%

Under 1820.5%

18–3421.1%

35–5423.7%

55–6414%

65+20.7%

Gender

47.8%

52.2%

Male47.8%

Female52.2%

Race & ethnicity

36.1%

46.7%

15.6%

White36.1%

Black46.7%

Hispanic15.6%

Asian1.1%

Other0.6%

Education (25+)

33.9%

32.3%

26.1%

No HS diploma7.7%

HS diploma33.9%

Some college32.3%

Bachelor's+26.1%

Housing tenure

70.5%

29.5%

Owner70.5%

Renter29.5%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates

2022 vs 2026

How Merrillville, IN has changed in 5 years

Rent

$1,283 → $1,533

up 19.5%

Income

$61,230 → $67,587

up 10.4%

Population

36,196 → 36,476

up 0.8%

Renter share

31.7% → 29.5%

-2.2 pts

Bachelor's+

22.8% → 26.1%

+3.3 pts

Median age

38.7 → 42.4

+3.7 yrs

Compared with 2022, rent in Merrillville, IN has climbed by $250 per month, settling near $1,533 after starting the period at $1,283. Median household income grew from $61,230 to $67,587 between 2021 and 2024, a 10.4% shift. Rent outpaced income growth by roughly 9.1 percentage points, which means renters are spending a larger slice of each paycheck on housing than they did in 2021. About 29.5% of households rent today, against 31.7% in 2021. Educational attainment has shifted as well, with the share of adults holding a bachelor's degree or higher climbed from 22.8% to 26.1%. Taken together, the five-year picture in Merrillville, 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.

Community

Discussions about Merrillville

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View Merrillville rent history (2015–2026) →

Salary vs rent

Can you afford rent in Merrillville on your salary?

At $1,533/mo, how Merrillville rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).

Registered Nurse

Avg $86,922/yr · Rent = 21.2% income

affordable

Elementary School Teacher

Avg $61,714/yr · Rent = 29.8% income

affordable

Police Officer

Avg $71,088/yr · Rent = 25.9% income

affordable

Software Developer

Avg $127,061/yr · Rent = 14.5% income

very comfortable

Lawyer

Avg $162,352/yr · Rent = 11.3% income

very comfortable

Firefighter

Avg $57,785/yr · Rent = 31.8% income

stretched

Truck Driver

Avg $52,173/yr · Rent = 35.3% income

stretched

Electrician

Avg $64,308/yr · Rent = 28.6% income

affordable

By apartment size

Merrillville rent by bedroom count

Median rent for each apartment size in Merrillville. Click any size for full breakdown.

Local insights

Tips for renters in Merrillville

About renting in Merrillville, IN

Last updated: August 17, 2026

The median rent in Merrillville is $1,533/mo as of August 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,030/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,440/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,190/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,770/mo.

At 27% of local median household income ($67,587/yr), Merrillville ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 2.6% over the past year.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Is Merrillville an affordable city for renters?

Merrillville is considered affordable for renters. At $1,533/mo, rent takes approximately 27% of the local median household income ($67,587/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%. Merrillville falls comfortably within that range.

How much income do you need to rent in Merrillville?

To keep rent at or below 30% of gross income, you would need to earn at least $61,000/year (~$29/hour full-time) to afford the median rent of $1,533/mo in Merrillville. The local median household income is $67,587/yr, meaning the typical Merrillville household meets that threshold.

Is rent going up or down in Merrillville?

Rent in Merrillville has increased 2.6% over the past year as of August 2026, putting upward pressure on renter budgets.

How does Merrillville rent compare to other cities in Indiana?

Merrillville is middle-of-the-pack for Indiana for rent, ranking #27 out of 62 tracked cities at $1,533/mo.

Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Merrillville?

Several nearby cities have lower median rents than Merrillville ($1,533/mo): Gary ($1,374/mo), Hobart ($1,379/mo).

What percentage of Merrillville residents rent vs. own?

According to Census data, approximately 29.5% of Merrillville households are renters, while 70.5% are owner-occupied. Merrillville leans toward homeownership, which can mean a smaller rental inventory.

How does Merrillville rent compare to the national average?

Merrillville's median rent of $1,533/mo is $429 (22%) below the US national median of $1,962/mo. Within Indiana, it ranks #27 out of 62 tracked cities.

Income Affordability

27%

AFFORDABLE

At $1,533/mo, rent takes ~27% of Merrillville's median household income ($67,587/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.

Merrillville 27%Benchmark 30%

State income tax3.05%

Run the Merrillville affordability calculator →

Nearby cities