ZIP Code · IN

ZIP 46601

Part of South Bend, IN

Pop. 4,800·Saint Joseph County·112th most expensive ZIP in Indiana

Median rent (all units)

$1,100/mo

Year-over-Year

Stable

Month-over-Month

+1.1%

vs US Median

-$832

Reported rents

Rising (Monthly)

Be the first to discuss 46601 rents ↓

Most AffordableMost Expensive

ZIP 46601 · $1,100

More affordable than 95% of US ZIP codes · National median $1,932/mo

Rent check

Is your rent fair?

Compare your rent to the local median.

Medians by bedroom

Rent by unit size

Studio

$740

1 BR

$910

2 BR

$1,060

3 BR

$1,290

4 BR+

$1,400

Research median

$1,060/mo

Bedroom estimates are gross rents that include essential utilities (electricity, water, gas, sewer, trash).

Rent trends

12-month history

Loading…

Last updated: October 17, 2026

From the history

What the numbers show

What a typical income covers

30% of the median household income ($30,789) is $770 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a studio ($740); a 1-bedroom is $910.

Rank in South Bend

1st cheapest of 8 ZIP codes in South Bend.

From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for ZIP 46601. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.

Annual cost

$13,200/yr

At $1,100/mo median

Location

CitySouth Bend

StateIN

CountySaint Joseph County

Rent Market Meter

Landlord's Market

Renter's MarketBalancedLandlord's Market

Rents are climbing (0.0% YoY), so leverage tilts toward landlords. Act sooner rather than later.

Based on rent-price momentum (+0.0% YoY, +1.1% MoM), not inventory.

Demographics

Who lives here

ZIP 46601 (South Bend, IN) is majority renter-occupied, has a median income below the national average, 23.5% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Population

4,800

Median income

$30,789

Median age

39.1

Renters

75.7%

Age distribution

18.4%

25%

23.4%

17.5%

15.8%

Under 1818.4%

18–3425%

35–5423.4%

55–6417.5%

65+15.8%

Gender

56.8%

43.3%

Male56.8%

Female43.3%

Race & ethnicity

51.9%

29.8%

White51.9%

Black29.8%

Hispanic10.5%

Asian0.7%

Other7.2%

Education (25+)

16.6%

33.3%

26.6%

23.5%

No HS diploma16.6%

HS diploma33.3%

Some college26.6%

Bachelor's+23.5%

Housing tenure

24.3%

75.7%

Owner24.3%

Renter75.7%

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

2021 vs 2026

How ZIP 46601 in South Bend, IN has changed in 5 years

Income

$26,699 → $30,789

up 15.3%

Population

5,382 → 4,800

down 10.8%

Renter share

79.4% → 75.7%

-3.7 pts

Bachelor's+

23.1% → 23.5%

+0.4 pts

Median age

38.2 → 39.1

+0.9 yrs

Household income in the area moved from $26,699 to $30,789 across the same window, up 15.3% versus 2021. The population has contracted by 10.8% since 2021, moving from about 5,382 residents to roughly 4,800. Renters now make up 75.7% of households, compared with 79.4% five years ago.

Community

Discussions about ZIP 46601

No discussions yet. Start the conversation.

Local insights

Tips for renters in ZIP 46601

About renting in ZIP 46601

Last updated: October 17, 2026

ZIP code 46601 covers South Bend, IN. The median rent here is $1,100/mo as of October 2026. A 1-bedroom rents for a median of $910/mo. A 2-bedroom rents for a median of $1,060/mo.

At 43% of local median household income ($30,789/yr), ZIP 46601 ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rent prices have stayed steady over the past year.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How much income do you need to rent in ZIP 46601?

To keep rent at or below 30% of gross income, you would need to earn at least $44,000/year (about $21/hour full-time) to afford the median rent of $1,100/mo in ZIP 46601. The local median household income is $30,789/yr, so the typical household falls short of that bar.