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Living in
Griffith.
About
Life in Griffith
Living in Griffith means settling into a solid Midwest working-class town that's part of the Chicago metro area without the Chicago price tag. The median home value sits around $210,100 with a median household income of $76,009, making it genuinely affordable compared to what you'd pay closer to the city, though you're trading some urban density for that savings. Your commute to Chicago jobs typically runs about 30 minutes depending on where you're headed, and you've got Interstate 65, the Borman Expressway, and US 30 all nearby for access—it's car-dependent living, so factor that into your budget and lifestyle expectations.
Griffith at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
37.5 yrs
Poverty Rate
7.1%
Foreign-Born
6.0%
Broadband Internet
94.6%
of households
Population Growth
-2.5%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics6.0% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Griffith: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Griffith, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (42.8%), and 8.6% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
20.2%
of residents
65 and Older
18.3%
of residents
Households with Kids
31.8%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
29.1%
of households
Married Couples
41.3%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.33
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 16% above IN average
Rent, home values, and income in Griffith
In Griffith, rent runs 16% above the IN average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
36.1%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
25.1%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
103.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$1,796
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
71.7%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1965
median year built
Home Value Trend
Latest: $250,388 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 1.4 pts above IN average
Unemployment in Griffith
Unemployment in Lake County, which includes Griffith, is 1.4 percentage points higher than the IN average.
Unemployment rate
Griffith: Lake County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Lake County (county-wide) · Annual averages
Griffith is about 3% of Lake County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
What Griffith Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute28.3 min avg
How Griffith residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Griffith, most residents drive alone to work (78%), and 59% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 24 mi
Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW)
Medium hub9.4M passengers boarded in 2025
- 39 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 53% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Griffith runs 53% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
155.2
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
819.4
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Griffith 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 Griffith, 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
Griffith 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 Griffith, 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
Griffith 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
Griffith has warm summers (avg high 82°F) and very cold winters (avg low 18°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
59°/39°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
82°/62°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
62°/43°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
34°/18°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
40.9"
Annual Snowfall
26.6"
Hot Days/Year
16
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
125
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
112
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 31°F | 15°F | 2.49" |
| Feb | 35°F | 18°F | 2.15" |
| Mar | 46°F | 28°F | 2.65" |
| Apr | 59°F | 38°F | 4.02" |
| May | 71°F | 49°F | 4.57" |
| Jun | 80°F | 59°F | 4.91" |
| Jul | 84°F | 64°F | 4.73" |
| Aug | 82°F | 62°F | 4.02" |
| Sep | 76°F | 55°F | 3.44" |
| Oct | 63°F | 42°F | 3.65" |
| Nov | 48°F | 31°F | 3.00" |
| Dec | 36°F | 22°F | 2.47" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Griffith
Uninsured
7.3%
of residents
No hospitals inside Griffith's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Community Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 4.6 mi away · Munster
Franciscan Health Munster
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 4.6 mi away · Munster
Regional Mental Health Center
Psychiatric · ER available · 5.4 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.
Education14.1:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Griffith
Griffith's student/teacher ratio is 14.1:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 27.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
3
within city limits
Private Schools
2
within city limits
College Degree Rate
27.9%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
14.1:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Griffith (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)
Calumet College of Saint Joseph
10.5 mi awayPrivate nonprofit · 4-year · 529 students · in-state tuition $24,820 · 47% graduate · median earnings $50,059 (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, 15 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Griffith
Griffith has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Pullman National Historical Park (15 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Pullman National Historical Park
National Historical Park
15 mi awayIndiana Dunes National Park
National Park
19 mi awayPublic Libraries in Griffith
Griffith-Calumet Township Branch
1215 East 45th Avenue, Griffith
Cities Near Griffith
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Griffith?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Griffith FAQ
Is Griffith, Indiana affordable?⌄
Griffith's median rent is $1,235/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $76,636/year. Median home value is $210,100.
Is Griffith, Indiana safe?⌄
Griffith's violent crime rate was 155 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 819 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Griffith, Indiana?⌄
Lake County, which includes Griffith, has an unemployment rate of 5.1%, which is slightly above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Griffith, Indiana?⌄
The cost of living in Griffith is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,235/month and median household income is $76,636/year. The median home value is $210,100. About 36% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Griffith, Indiana?⌄
The average commute in Griffith is 28 minutes, which is about 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