What it's like to live in Cedar Lake
Cedar Lake is a small city in Indiana with home prices that remain within reach, crime rates well below the national average, a population that has grown fast since 2020, and schools with class sizes near the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Cedar Lake deals with commute times longer than most cities, air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, cold, harsh winters, and fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city.
The good
- Affordable home prices
- Low crime rates
- Fast-growing population
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Above-average commute times
- Air quality concerns
- Cold, harsh winters
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Cedar Lake compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Cedar Lake
Based on Cedar Lake's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,700
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $54,000 a year
- 40% of Cedar Lake renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$56,400
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $28,200
- Homes cost 3.4× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of livingNear US average
$1,350/mo median rent
Rent is pretty middle of the road, at $1,350 a month median. Not a bargain, not a budget-buster. About typical for a city this size. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $282,000. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $282,000 · 40% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
5.1% county unemployment
Unemployment in Lake County is 5.1%, somewhat above the national average of 4.3%. Lining up work before the move is the safer route. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Lake County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 75% below US
82 violent crimes per 100k
Safety is genuinely one of the selling points here. Both violent and property crime run well below the national average, the kind of numbers that fade into the background after a week of living somewhere.
Property crime 194/100k · Cedar Lake Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 22% above US
32 min average commute
Traffic is a real factor here. The 31.7 minute average means plenty of commuters are pushing 45 to 60 minutes on a bad day. Proximity to work matters more here than it might elsewhere. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 7% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 82°F, and winters are cold and harsh, with lows dropping to 18°F.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▼ 24% below US
27% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 27%. 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. The student-to-teacher ratio is 17:1, close to the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Pullman National Historical Park (24 miles away). There are 2 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Cedar Lake's strongest points are home prices that remain within reach and crime rates well below the national average; the main tradeoffs are commute times longer than most cities and air quality that falls short of national benchmarks. A year of median rent ($1,350/mo) equals 19% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime. It may be a harder fit for anyone who doesn't drive and anyone who dislikes long, cold winters.
Other places near Cedar Lake
All Indiana guides →Moving to Crown Point →
6 mi away · pop. 34,393
Rent $1,485/mo · Income $101,686
Compare with Cedar Lake →Moving to Schererville →
8 mi away · pop. 29,701
Rent $1,310/mo · Income $89,466
Compare with Cedar Lake →Not sure Cedar Lake is the one?
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