What it's like to live in Beech Grove
Beech Grove is a small city in Indiana with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, county unemployment below the national average, and commutes that run shorter than most cities. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Beech Grove deals with household incomes below the national average, air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin, and cold winters.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Low unemployment in the county
- Short commutes
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- Air quality concerns
- High rent burden for renters
- Cold winters
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Beech Grove compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Beech Grove
Based on Beech Grove's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,182
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $43,640 a year
- 61% of Beech Grove renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$36,520
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $18,260
- Homes cost 3.7× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 23% below US
$1,091/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,091 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $182,600. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $182,600 · 61% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
3.7% county unemployment
Unemployment in Marion County is 3.7%, a little below the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Marion County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 29% below US
234 violent crimes per 100k
Pretty safe, all things considered. Violent crime sits below the national average, nothing alarming, just ordinary city-life awareness.
Property crime 1390/100k · Beech Grove Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 18% below US
21 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 21.2 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 8% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 82°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 22°F and snow a regular occurrence. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▼ 34% below US
24% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 24%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
5 public schools inside the boundary
There are 5 public schools inside the boundary and 1 private school. The student-to-teacher ratio is 16:1, close to the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is William Howard Taft National Historic Site (94 miles away).
Bottom line
Beech Grove's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are household incomes below the national average and air quality that falls short of national benchmarks. A year of median rent ($1,091/mo) equals 26% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget, anyone prioritizing low crime, and people who want short commutes.
Other places near Beech Grove
All Indiana guides →Moving to Indianapolis →
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Rent $1,156/mo · Income $66,219
Compare with Beech Grove →Moving to Greenwood →
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Compare with Beech Grove →Moving to Speedway →
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