What it's like to live in Munster
Munster is a small city in Indiana with household incomes running above the national average, crime rates well below the national average, and a highly educated workforce. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Munster deals with commute times longer than most cities, air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, larger class sizes than the national average, and cold winters.
The good
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
- Highly educated workforce
The not so good
- Above-average commute times
- Air quality concerns
- High student-teacher ratio
- Cold winters
How Munster compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Munster
Based on Munster's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,014
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $60,280 a year
- 42% of Munster renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$66,860
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $33,430
- Homes cost 3.0× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of livingNear US average
$1,507/mo median rent
Rent is pretty middle of the road, at $1,507 a month median. Not a bargain, not a budget-buster. About typical for a city this size. Home prices run above average, with a median around $334,300. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.
Median home value $334,300 · 42% 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▼ 78% below US
72 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 891/100k · Munster Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
28 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 28.1 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 13% 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. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
2 hospitals
There are 2 Medicare-certified hospitals inside city limits. They average 3.0 out of 5 on Medicare's star rating.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▲ 39% above US
50% bachelor's degree or higher
The population is well-educated, with 50% holding college degrees. That points to a strong professional base and generally a healthy local economy.
Schools
5 public schools inside the boundary
There are 5 public schools inside the boundary and 2 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 18:1, slightly above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Pullman National Historical Park (12 miles away). There are 2 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Munster's strongest points are household incomes running above the national average 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 ($1,507/mo) equals 16% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime and college-educated professionals.
Other places near Munster
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