© OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap
Living in
St. John.
About
Life in St. John
St. John feels like a place built for stability: the median household income sits at $131,467, home values hover around $406,000, and nearly 72% of households are married couples with kids, so the neighborhood tends toward the quieter, family-focused side of suburban life. The job market isn't flashy, but the 5.1% unemployment rate and proximity to Chicago's job centers via the South Shore Line (with a station opening in nearby Munster) mean most people either work locally or have reasonable commute options—though you're looking at around 32 minutes on average if you're heading toward the city.
St. John at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
42.3 yrs
Poverty Rate
2.1%
Foreign-Born
5.5%
Broadband Internet
93.8%
of households
Population Growth
+22.4%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics5.5% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in St. John: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In St. John, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (22.5%), and 5.2% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
24.2%
of residents
65 and Older
19.0%
of residents
Households with Kids
37.1%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
15.8%
of households
Married Couples
73.3%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.87
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 7% below IN average
Rent, home values, and income in St. John
In St. John, rent runs 7% below the IN average, and home values are 86% above the IN average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
23.7%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
23.7%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
103.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$3,725
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
97.4%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
2003
median year built
Vacant Homes
1.7%
of housing units
Jobs & Economyunemployment 1.4 pts above IN average
Unemployment in St. John
Unemployment in Lake County, which includes St. John, is 1.4 percentage points higher than the IN average.
Unemployment rate
St. John: Lake County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Lake County (county-wide) · Annual averages
St. John is about 5% of Lake County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
What St. John Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute31.2 min avg
How St. John residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In St. John, most residents drive alone to work (80%), and 51% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 27 mi
Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW)
Medium hub9.4M passengers boarded in 2025
- 43 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 92% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in St. John runs 92% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
27.7
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
142.4
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
St. John 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 St. John, 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
St. John is about 5% 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 St. John, 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
St. John is about 5% 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
St. John 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
39.5"
Annual Snowfall
26.6"
Hot Days/Year
16
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
125
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
138
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 St. John
Uninsured
1.9%
of residents
No hospitals inside St. John's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Franciscan Health Dyer
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 4.6 mi away · Dyer
Regional Mental Health Center
Psychiatric · ER available · 5.6 mi away · Merrillville
Franciscan Health Crown Point
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 6.2 mi away · Crown Point
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.
Education19.3:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in St. John
St. John's student/teacher ratio is 19.3:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 43.7% 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
43.7%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
19.3:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near St. John (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, 19 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for St. John
St. John has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Pullman National Historical Park (19 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Pullman National Historical Park
National Historical Park
19 mi awayIndiana Dunes National Park
National Park
23 mi awayPublic Libraries in St. John
St John Branch
9450 Wicker Drive, St. John
Cities Near St. John
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to St. John?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
St. John FAQ
Is St. John, Indiana affordable?⌄
St. John's median rent is $989/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $131,467/year. Median home value is $406,300.
Is St. John, Indiana safe?⌄
St. John's violent crime rate was 28 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 142 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in St. John, Indiana?⌄
Lake County, which includes St. John, has an unemployment rate of 5.1%, which is slightly above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in St. John, Indiana?⌄
The cost of living in St. John is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $989/month and median household income is $131,467/year. The median home value is $406,300. About 24% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in St. John, Indiana?⌄
The average commute in St. John is 31 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