Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Gary, Indiana
A $85,000 home here costs
$853per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $437. The real number is $416 higher every month — 95% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Gary against Lake County and Indiana
| Measure | Gary | Lake County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $85,300 | $214,700 |
| Median property tax | $936 | $1,987 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.097% | 0.925% |
| Median gross rent | $975 | $1,094 |
| Population | 68,604 | 498,990 |
The weather behind that power bill
Gary sits in Lake County, which averages a high of 85.0°F in its hottest month and a low of 18.4°F in its coldest, with 33.35" of precipitation a year and 34% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 975 cooling and 5,737 heating degree days, which is what sets the $163 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Lake County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Lake County
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Gary?
A $85,000 home in Gary, Indiana costs approximately $853 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $437 principal and interest, $78 property tax, $36 homeowners insurance, $231 utilities and $71 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Gary?
Gary has an effective property tax rate of 1.097%, based on a median home value of $85,300 and median real estate taxes of $936. That is higher than the Lake County average of 0.925%.
What is the average home price in Gary?
The median owner-occupied home value in Gary, Indiana is $85,300, against $214,700 across Lake County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Gary?
Median gross rent in Gary is $975 a month, against $853 to own the median home all in. Owning costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Gary — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Indiana.
- Electricity price — EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
- Mortgage rate — Freddie Mac PMMS, refreshed weekly.
- Maintenance (1%/yr) and water and sewer ($68/mo) are national estimates. Every assumption above is editable.