What it's like to live in Indiana
Indiana is a small city in Pennsylvania with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, crime rates well 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. Indiana deals with household incomes below the national average, a poverty rate above the national average, a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin, and cold winters.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Low crime rates
- Short commutes
- Highly educated workforce
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- High poverty rate
- High rent burden for renters
- Cold winters
- Snowy winters — 46" per year
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
How Indiana compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Indiana
Based on Indiana's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$1,698
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $33,960 a year
- 56% of Indiana renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$27,120
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $13,560
- Homes cost 3.3× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 40% below US
$849/mo median rent
Rent here is genuinely low, with median rent around $849 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 $135,600. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $135,600 · 56% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
4.9% county unemployment
Unemployment in Indiana County is 4.9%, 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.
Indiana County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 77% below US
84 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 772/100k · Indiana Police Department · 2024 data
Getting around▼ 39% below US
16 min average commute
Commutes run short here, averaging 15.9 minutes. That's an underrated perk of living in a smaller or well-planned city, where time isn't lost sitting in traffic. 6 in 10 workers drive to work; 16% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 81°F, and winters are cold and harsh, with lows dropping to 20°F. 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 2.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▲ 36% above US
49% bachelor's degree or higher
The population is well-educated, with 49% 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 3 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14:1, well below 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 Johnstown Flood National Memorial (28 miles away). There are 5 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Indiana'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 a poverty rate above the national average. A year of median rent ($849/mo) equals 25% 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 remote workers (16% of workers here already work from home).
Other places near Indiana
All Pennsylvania guides →Moving to Murrysville →
29 mi away · pop. 20,817
Rent $1,587/mo · Income $121,823
Compare with Indiana →Moving to Lower Burrell →
29 mi away · pop. 11,633
Rent $911/mo · Income $84,602
Compare with Indiana →Not sure Indiana is the one?
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