Should I Move To
Gary, Indiana comes in at about 69,136 residents. Cost of living comes out moderate — 3% above the national average. Rent typically lands near $929/mo, and the median household income is about $36,874. Overall, 34/100 on our composite score, which works out to a F, putting it at #916 nationally.
UrbRank Score · General
Each dimension scored 0-100 against every other US city.
Based on overall cost of living vs. other US cities.
Temperate summers & winters, moderate precipitation.
Walk Score — how feasible daily errands are on foot.
Unemployment rate plus household income vs. national median.
Air quality index (EPA AQS data).
Share of residents 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
Cost-of-living index of 103 (with 100 as the US baseline) — that's moderate territory. With median rent at $929/mo and median household income at $36,874, housing takes about 30% of gross income — a bit above the 30% rule, meaning housing is on the tight side for the median household. Homes typically value around $81,800.
Full cost-of-living breakdown →Expect cold-winter weather — summers near 82°F, winters around 22°F. Rain (and snow, in some seasons) totals about 38 inches annually. You'll need a car for most things, though the central core is more walkable than the citywide score suggests. AQI runs about 48 — a "good" reading.
Verdict by lifestyle profile — same data, different priorities.
Gary is a tougher sell for families. The profile-weighted score is 37/100 — a F. Its standout dimension is affordability (65/100); the soft spot is job market (1/100).
Gary is a tougher sell for retirees. The profile-weighted score is 45/100 — a D. Its standout dimension is affordability (65/100); the soft spot is job market (1/100).
Gary is a tougher sell for remote workers. The profile-weighted score is 47/100 — a D. Its standout dimension is affordability (65/100); the soft spot is job market (1/100).
Gary is a tougher sell for young professionals. The profile-weighted score is 33/100 — a F. Its standout dimension is affordability (65/100); the soft spot is job market (1/100).
Our overall score for Gary is 34/100 — a F, sitting at #916 in the national ranking. It's a weighted average across the seven UrbRank dimensions.
By the composite index, Gary sits at 103 — moderate, 3% above the national average. Median renter pays around $929 a month.
Gary runs cold-winter on the weather. Summer's near 82°F, winter's near 22°F; 38 inches of precipitation annually.
Walk Score: 47/100. You'll need a car for most things, though the central core is more walkable than the citywide score suggests.
Roughly 69,136 people live here, with 14% college-educated (bachelor's or higher) among adults 25+ with a median age of 37.
Drop Gary into the comparison tool with any other US city and you'll get housing costs, salaries, demographics, and quality-of-life data lined up side by side. Profile-specific leaderboards (families, retirees, remote workers, young professionals) are linked from the navigation.
Every US city is scored 0-100 on seven dimensions using public data from the US Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, FBI Crime Data Explorer, EPA Air Quality System, NOAA NCEI, and Walk Score. Each dimension is a percentile rank against every other city — so a score of 80 means the city is in the top 20% nationally on that dimension.
The overall score is a weighted average. Five lifestyle profiles — general, families, retirees, remote workers, young professionals — weight the dimensions differently to reflect what each cares about. Families get more weight on safety and schools; young professionals get more weight on jobs and walkability; retirees get more weight on climate.
Compare Gary with other Indiana cities scored on UrbRank.
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