What it's like to live in St. John
St. John is a small city in Indiana with rent below the national average, 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.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
- Highly educated workforce
- Fast-growing population
The not so good
- Above-average commute times
- Air quality concerns
- High student-teacher ratio
- Cold winters
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How St. John compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to St. John
Based on St. John's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$1,978
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $39,560 a year
- 24% of St. John renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$81,260
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $40,630
- Homes cost 3.1× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 30% below US
$989/mo median rent
Rent here is genuinely low, with median rent around $989 a month. Factoring in local incomes, the value gets even better. Money stretches further here than in most of the country. Home prices run above average, with a median around $406,300. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.
Median home value $406,300 · 24% 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▼ 92% below US
28 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 142/100k · St. John Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 20% above US
31 min average commute
Traffic is a real factor here. The 31.2 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. 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
Education & workforce▲ 21% above US
44% bachelor's degree or higher
The population is well-educated, with 44% holding college degrees. That points to a strong professional base and generally a healthy local economy.
Schools
3 public schools inside the boundary
There are 3 public schools inside the boundary and 2 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 19:1, slightly above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Pullman National Historical Park (19 miles away). There are 2 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
St. John's strongest points are rent below the national average and household incomes running above 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 ($989/mo) equals 9% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget, anyone prioritizing low crime, and college-educated professionals. It may be a harder fit for anyone who doesn't drive.
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