Hammond receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
East Chicago
Hammond
Opportunity
40 · Bottom 18%
vs53 · Bottom 43%
Growth
17 · Bottom 6%
vs49 · Bottom 47%
Climate
63 · Bottom 25%
vs63 · Bottom 25%
Physical resilience
81 · Top 23%
vs81 · Top 23%
Housing affordability
85 · Top 42%
vs85 · Top 42%
Schools
15 · Bottom 5%
vs8 · Bottom 1%
Access
97 · Top 29%
vs97 · Top 29%
Economic stability
26 · Bottom 4%
vs41 · Bottom 19%
Measured values
| Metric | East Chicago | Hammond | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 26,022 | 76,768 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $42,125 | $55,504 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $23,656 | $28,736 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,844/sq mi | 3,376/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $105,400 | $159,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $854 | $1,134 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 42.9% | 62.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.0% | 4.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.3% | 0.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 10.7% | 17.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 26.3% | 19.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 0 | 27 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.0 | 0.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -100.0% | 42.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 85°F | 85°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 19°F | 19°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 34.4" | 34.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 3 mi | 4 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.2 min | 27.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.5 | 36.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 9 | 19 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.00 | 18.00 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 7.0% | 8.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 8.9% | 18.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 74.3% | 54.9% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
East Chicago
53
Your Score
52
Area Score
Hammond
59
Your Score
58
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: East Chicago, IN · Hammond, IN · How this is calculated: methodology