Signals
Elkhart
South Bend
Opportunity
51 · Bottom 39%
vs55 · Bottom 48%
Climate
62 · Bottom 20%
vs61 · Bottom 17%
Physical resilience
84 · Top 18%
vs95 · Top 3%
Housing affordability
87 · Top 37%
vs90 · Top 31%
Schools
20 · Bottom 11%
vs19 · Bottom 10%
Access
93 · Top 46%
vs99 · Top 14%
Economic stability
42 · Bottom 19%
vs38 · Bottom 15%
Measured values
| Metric | Elkhart | South Bend | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 53,733 | 103,085 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $51,028 | $55,786 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $28,189 | $30,791 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,911/sq mi | 2,461/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $139,500 | $140,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $998 | $1,033 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 53.2% | 60.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.3% | 0.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.7% | 29.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 18.2% | 20.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 83°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 18°F | 17°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 34.6" | 39.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 18 mi | 3 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.0 min | 21.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.0 | 34.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 30 | 37 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.23 | 12.85 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 23.9% | 9.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 26.7% | 15.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 54.6% | 58.8% | 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
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Elkhart
63
Your Score
62
Area Score
South Bend
65
Your Score
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Area Score
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Full profiles: Elkhart, IN · South Bend, IN · How this is calculated: methodology