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Gary, IN

The Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Gary, IN is $1,317 per month, ranking #301 out of 693 areas nationwide. The area median household income is $88,850, meaning a household spending Fair Market Rent on a 2-bedroom would pay 17.8% of income on housing. Rent in Gary has increased 5.0% year over year. The area has a population of 9.4M, with 34.7% of households renting.

17.8%
Affordable
of income → rent
$1,317
2BR Fair Market Rent
vs $1,250 national median
$88,850
Median Income
vs $71,049 national
$1,378
Actual Median Rent
Census ACS estimate
+5%
Year-over-Year
2BR FMR change
9.4M
Population
Census ACS
34.7%
Renters
of occupied housing
$301,900
Median Home Value
7%
Vacancy Rate
of housing units
11.1%
Poverty Rate
below poverty line

Fair Market Rent by Bedroom Size

$959
Studio
$1,082
1 Bedroom
$1,317
2 Bedroom
$1,612
3 Bedroom
$1,744
4 Bedroom

Fair Market Rents (FMRs) are set annually by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and represent the 40th percentile of gross rents for standard-quality units in an area. FMRs are used to determine payment standards for the Housing Choice Voucher program and other federal housing assistance.

Housing Affordability

In Gary, IN, a household earning the area median income of $88,850 would spend 17.8% of their gross income on a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent. This falls below HUD's 30% cost-burden threshold, meaning housing is relatively affordable for median-income households in this area.

Income Needed for 2BR
$52,680
annual (30% threshold)
Hourly Wage Needed
$25
full-time (2,080 hrs/yr)
Actual Median Rent
$1,378
$61 above FMR

5-Year Rent Trend

+42.7% since 2021
$9232021$9592022$1,0002023$1,2542024$1,1972025$1,3172026

2-bedroom Fair Market Rent by fiscal year. Source: HUD FMR API.

Minimum Wage Affordability

The minimum wage in Indiana is $7.25/hr. A minimum-wage worker would need to work 139.7 hours per week to afford a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent without exceeding 30% of income on housing. This means a single minimum-wage earner cannot afford a 2-bedroom working a standard 40-hour week. The poverty rate in Gary is 11.1%, below the national average of approximately 12.4%.

State Min Wage
$7.25/hr
Hours/Week Needed
139.7 hrs
Poverty Rate
11.1%

Housing Market Context

The median home value in Gary is $301,900. At a median income of $88,850, this represents a price-to-income ratio of 3.4x. 7% of housing units in the area are vacant, which is below the national average and suggests a tight housing market.

Rent vs. Buy
$2,113 est. mortgage
vs $1,317 FMR rent
Vacancy Rate
7%
of housing units

Other Areas in Indiana

Indianapolis-Carmel
$1,473/mo
2BR FMR · 22.9% burden
Columbus
$1,415/mo
2BR FMR · 21.1% burden
Cincinnati
$1,353/mo
2BR FMR · 20.4% burden
South Bend-Mishawaka
$1,292/mo
2BR FMR · 23.7% burden
Louisville
$1,272/mo
2BR FMR · 21.3% burden

Compare Gary

vs Indianapolis-Carmel, INvs Columbus, INvs Cincinnati, IN

Areas With Similar Rent to Gary

Frequently Asked Questions

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Gary, IN is $1,317 per month. A studio is $959/mo, a 1-bedroom is $1,082/mo, and a 3-bedroom is $1,612/mo. The actual median gross rent from Census data is $1,378/mo.

Gary has a rent burden of 17.8%, meaning a household earning the median income of $88,850 would spend 17.8% of income on a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent. This is below HUD's 30% cost-burden threshold, indicating relatively affordable housing. To afford a 2-bedroom without being cost-burdened, a household would need an annual income of at least $52,680.

Gary's 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,317/mo is $67 above the national median of $1,250/mo. Gary ranks #301 out of 693 areas for highest rent in the United States.

To afford a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Gary without spending more than 30% of income on housing, you would need an annual household income of at least $52,680, or a full-time hourly wage of $25/hour. The area median income is $88,850.

The 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Gary increased by 5.0% compared to the prior year. This is a modest increase, roughly in line with typical housing cost trends.

Fair Market Rents represent the 40th percentile of gross rents for standard-quality rental units. Rent burden is calculated as annual 2BR FMR divided by area median household income. Census data (income, home value, population, vacancy) is from the ACS 5-Year estimates. Unemployment rates are from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics.