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Living in
Cedar Lake.
About
Life in Cedar Lake
Living in Cedar Lake means embracing a small-town feel that's rapidly growing—the population has jumped nearly 18% recently, so you're moving to a place where families are actively choosing to put down roots. The real draw for most people here is the lake itself—the largest natural lake in northwest Indiana—which gives weekends a genuine recreational dimension whether you're into water activities, kayaking, or just watching sunsets from the shore. You'll need a car; this is sprawling Lake County, and the average commute runs about 34 minutes, though the newly opened Munster/Dyer rail station (as of 2026) is starting to change that equation for some commuters heading toward Chicago.
Cedar Lake at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
40.2 yrs
Poverty Rate
3.5%
Foreign-Born
2.5%
Broadband Internet
91.7%
of households
Population Growth
+19.0%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics2.5% foreign-born, most often from Germany
Who lives in Cedar Lake: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Cedar Lake, the largest foreign-born group is from Germany (25.0%), and 2.0% of residents speak Other Indo-European at home.
Under 18
23.7%
of residents
65 and Older
15.7%
of residents
Households with Kids
33.2%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
21.5%
of households
Married Couples
55.3%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.78
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 27% above IN average
Rent, home values, and income in Cedar Lake
In Cedar Lake, rent runs 27% above the IN average, and home values are 29% above the IN average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
40.4%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
10.3%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
103.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$2,688
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
85.2%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1997
median year built
Vacant Homes
10.4%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $335,760 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 1.4 pts above IN average
Unemployment in Cedar Lake
Unemployment in Lake County, which includes Cedar Lake, is 1.4 percentage points higher than the IN average.
Unemployment rate
Cedar Lake: Lake County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Lake County (county-wide) · Annual averages
Cedar Lake is about 3% of Lake County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
What Cedar Lake Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute31.7 min avg
How Cedar Lake residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Cedar Lake, most residents drive alone to work (81%), and 49% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 33 mi
Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW)
Medium hub9.4M passengers boarded in 2025
- 49 mi
Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD)
Major hub40.7M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 75% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Cedar Lake runs 75% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
82.3
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
194
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Cedar Lake Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 31 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
95.9 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Lake County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Lake County, which includes Cedar Lake, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 31 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 31 | Thunderstorm Wind | $4.0M |
| 2024 | 21 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2023 | 20 | Thunderstorm Wind | $10.0M |
| 2022 | 22 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2021 | 20 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2020 | 26 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2019 | 25 | Flood | $1,000 |
| 2018 | 14 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
1 earthquake of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Lake County, county-wide
Cedar Lake is about 3% of Lake County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality53 median AQI — Moderate
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Lake County, which includes Cedar Lake, is typically moderate — acceptable for most people, but can affect those unusually sensitive to air pollution.
Median AQI
53
Good Days
152
per year
Moderate Days
198
per year
Unhealthy Days
4
per year
Lake County, county-wide
Cedar Lake is about 3% of Lake County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate82°F summers, 18°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Cedar Lake has warm summers (avg high 82°F) and very cold winters (avg low 18°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
60°/38°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
82°/61°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
63°/41°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
35°/18°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
41.3"
Annual Snowfall
26.6"
Hot Days/Year
16
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
136
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
138
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 32°F | 15°F | 2.33" |
| Feb | 36°F | 18°F | 1.91" |
| Mar | 47°F | 27°F | 2.34" |
| Apr | 60°F | 38°F | 3.68" |
| May | 71°F | 49°F | 4.24" |
| Jun | 81°F | 59°F | 5.11" |
| Jul | 84°F | 63°F | 4.31" |
| Aug | 82°F | 60°F | 4.27" |
| Sep | 77°F | 53°F | 3.27" |
| Oct | 64°F | 41°F | 3.56" |
| Nov | 49°F | 30°F | 2.62" |
| Dec | 37°F | 21°F | 2.24" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Cedar Lake
Uninsured
5.6%
of residents
No hospitals inside Cedar Lake's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Franciscan Health Crown Point
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 4.3 mi away · Crown Point
Uchicago Medicine Northwest Indiana
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 6.4 mi away · Crown Point
Regional Mental Health Center
Psychiatric · ER available · 7.5 mi away · Merrillville
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education16.9:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Cedar Lake
Cedar Lake's student/teacher ratio is 16.9:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 27.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
5
within city limits
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
27.4%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
16.9:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Cedar Lake (within 15 miles)
Public · 4-year · 5,671 students · in-state tuition $8,675 · 51% graduate · median earnings $58,620 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 4-year · 2,661 students · in-state tuition $8,424 · 41% graduate · median earnings $48,764 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Pullman National Historical Park, 24 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Cedar Lake
Cedar Lake has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Pullman National Historical Park (24 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Pullman National Historical Park
National Historical Park
24 mi awayIndiana Dunes National Park
National Park
26 mi awayPublic Libraries in Cedar Lake
Cedar Lake Branch
10010 West 133rd Avenue, Cedar Lake
Cities Near Cedar Lake
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Cedar Lake?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Cedar Lake FAQ
Is Cedar Lake, Indiana affordable?⌄
Cedar Lake's median rent is $1,350/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $83,381/year. Median home value is $282,000.
Is Cedar Lake, Indiana safe?⌄
Cedar Lake's violent crime rate was 82 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 194 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Cedar Lake, Indiana?⌄
Lake County, which includes Cedar Lake, has an unemployment rate of 5.1%, which is slightly above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Cedar Lake, Indiana?⌄
The cost of living in Cedar Lake is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,350/month and median household income is $83,381/year. The median home value is $282,000. About 40% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Cedar Lake, Indiana?⌄
The average commute in Cedar Lake is 32 minutes, which is longer than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from