What it's like to live in La Porte
La Porte is a small city in Indiana with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, crime rates well below the national average, 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. La Porte deals with household incomes below the national average, air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, college degree attainment below the national average, and cold winters.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Low crime rates
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- Air quality concerns
- Low college degree attainment
- Cold winters
- Heavy snowfall — 65" per year
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
How La Porte compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to La Porte
Based on La Porte's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$1,896
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $37,920 a year
- 40% of La Porte renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$31,500
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $15,750
- Homes cost 2.7× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 33% below US
$948/mo median rent
Rent here is genuinely low, with median rent around $948 a month. Factoring in local incomes, the value gets even better. Money stretches further here than in most of the country. Home prices here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $157,500. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $157,500 · 40% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
4.1% county unemployment
Unemployment in LaPorte County is 4.1%, close to the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
LaPorte County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 39% below US
200 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 1470/100k · La Porte Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
24 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 23.9 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 9 in 10 workers drive to work.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 80°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 20°F and snow a regular occurrence. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 3.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 44% below US
20% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 20%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
7 public schools inside the boundary
There are 7 public schools inside the boundary and 1 private school. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15:1, 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 Indiana Dunes National Park (20 miles away). There are 2 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
La Porte'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 ($948/mo) equals 19% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget and anyone prioritizing low crime. It may be a harder fit for anyone who doesn't drive.
Other places near La Porte
All Indiana guides →Moving to Michigan City →
10 mi away · pop. 31,814
Rent $967/mo · Income $53,089
Compare with La Porte →Moving to Chesterton →
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Rent $1,274/mo · Income $91,060
Compare with La Porte →Moving to Valparaiso →
20 mi away · pop. 34,733
Rent $1,224/mo · Income $69,872
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