10 Best Places To Live In Northwest Indiana

Northwest Indiana has some of the best places to live in Indiana. To help you sort your way through the 65 cities and towns in the area, Quadwalls® has sifted through to share with you the 10 best places to live in Northwest Indiana.

What Are The Best Cities To Live In Northwest Indiana?

Using factors such as home sale prices & housing affordability, population size, and availability of high-speed internet Quadwalls® of Valparaiso, Indiana has ranked the 10 Best Places To Live In Northwest Indiana.

#10 DeMotte

• The median sale price for a house for sale in DeMotte was $248,000 during 2021
• The median household income in DeMotte is $59,517.

DeMotte, Indiana made the list as the 10th best place to live in Northwest Indiana. This rural town in northern Jasper County is home to 4,054 residents. Students living in DeMotte attend the Kankakee Valley School Corporation which received a Grade B during its most recent state assessment.

Houses for sale in DeMotte, Indiana are more affordable than in many other areas. The average price for a house sold in DeMotte during 2021 was $259,322. With a median household income of nearly $60,000, this makes homes in DeMotte very affordable. High-speed, cable-fed internet may not be available at all locations.

DeMotte is a small town, so there are not as many amenities in the town. However, we know some people are looking for a smaller-town atmosphere. DeMotte is also a bit of a regional enclave for people of Dutch ancestry.

Click here to search for houses for sale in DeMotte, Indiana.

#9 Westville

• The population of Westville, IN is 5,866
• Low home prices in Westville have made it one of the Northwest Indiana cities and towns with the highest year-over-year residential real estate appreciation rate

Westville, Indiana is a small town located in west-central LaPorte County. Attractive features of this town are the K-12 school campus students attend. Additionally, the town has easy access to major transportation routes like Stated Road 2, U.S. 6, and I-94, and the Indiana Toll Road are nearby.

Residents in Westville also have access to job markets in other nearby larger cities including LaPorte, Michigan City, Chesterton, and Valparaiso. The median household income in Westville is $50,031. During 2021 the median home sale price was $276,000 making houses for sale in Westville, IN relatively affordable. Do keep in mind in this rural town high-speed internet availability may be challenging to come by.

Click here to search for houses for sale in Westville, Indiana.

#8 Valparaiso

• Valparaiso is the 29th largest city in Indiana
• The largest Lutheran faith-based university is located in Valparaiso
• Quadwalls.com was founded in Valparaiso, Indiana by a Valparaiso real estate agent

Valparaiso is one of the best places to live in Indiana. This city is located in central Porter County with a population of 33,897 people. Valparaiso is a bustling city with a strong local economy. The city is a strong supporter of its local business. Students in Valparaiso attend Valparaiso Community Schools which was given a Grade A rating from the Indiana Department of Education.

The median household income is $59,533 and the median sale price for houses sold in Valparaiso is $296,757. This is about five times the median household income. Valparaiso came in ninth place for this category amongst the 10 cities and towns in the list causing it to fall down the list several spots compared to last year. Most homes, likely 90%, throughout Valparaiso do have access to high-speed cable-fed internet.

Valparaiso offers an incredible quality of life to its residents. The city maintains a robust parks department and the Valparaiso Festival and Events Committee manages nearly 100 events annually. The downtown area is filled with trendy restaurants, pubs, and boutique stores.

Click here to search for houses for sale in Valparaiso, Indiana.

#7 Dyer

• The average house sale price in Dyer for 2021 was $382,711
• Dyer has the third-highest median household income in Northwest Indiana
• The Loop is less than 40 minutes from Dyer, Indiana

Dyer is a town in western Lake County, Indiana with 15,976 residents. The town borders the Indiana-Illinois state line. The fact it is so close to Chicago makes Dyer an ideal place for people relocating from Chicago. Dyer made the list for several reasons.

Dyer home prices are affordable compared to residents’ income. The median price for a house for sale in Dyer, IN that sold in 2021 was $335,000. The median household income in Dyer is $84,202. Therefore, a house for sale in Dyer is just about four times the annual income of a household there. This indicates houses for sale in Dyer are relatively affordable.

Click here to search for houses for sale in Dyer, Indiana.

#6 Munster

• Munster, IN is located just 30 minutes from The Loop
• People living in Munster have the second-highest median household income in Northwest Indiana
• Munster had the second most affordable housing market in Northwest Indiana

Munster, Indiana is located in northwest Lake County, Indiana, and has a population of 22,476 residents. The town is located close to Chicago and remains an attractive community for people seeking a lower cost of living but who want to remain close to Chicago.

Munster is one of the best places to live in Northwest Indiana for several reasons. First, the School Town of Munster District received a Grade A from the Indiana Department of Education. Also, real estate remains very affordable for most Munster residents.

The median household income in Munster is $84,254, and the median sale price for a house for sale and sold in Munster during 2021 was $319,367. At just 3.79 times annual income this indicates houses for sale in Munster, IN remains affordable. High-speed internet is readily available all throughout Munster.

Munster is an excellent place to live in Northwest Indiana. The town has some great restaurants, parks, and activities throughout the year. Additionally, Munster is located close to so many other great cities and towns like St. John, Dyer, Highland, and is just 30 minutes from downtown Chicago.

Click here to search for houses for sale in Munster, Indiana.

#5 Schererville

• The average sale price for houses for sale in Schererville, IN was $362,382 in 2021
• The median home sale price is 4.88 times the median household income indicating that homes in Schererville may not be very affordable

Schererville is one of the best places to live in Northern Indiana. The population of Schererville, IN is 22,476 people. The town is a busy place with a tremendous amount of commercial enterprises. From professional service providers to local stores, to national retailers there is a lot of commercial business in Schererville.

Schererville is one of the best places to live in Northwest Indiana for several reasons. First, most students attend the Lake Central School Corporation which regularly receives awards from the State of Indiana. The school district was given a Grade A during its most recent performance assessment by the Indiana Department of Education. And to keep yourself informed you should have no problems getting high-speed internet in Schererville.

Schererville did score lower for housing affordability. The average sale price for a house sold in Schererville during 2021 was $362,382, and the median sale price was $351,450. This is 4.88 times the median household income of $72,035.

Click here to search for houses for sale in Schererville, Indiana.

#4 Chesterton

• Indiana Dunes National Park, the 61st national park in the U.S. Park System is located in Chesterton
• Chesterton scored as having the third most affordable homes among the 10 Best Places to Live In Northwest Indiana
• Chesterton is the only city or town on the list to have a South Shore Line commuter train station

Chesterton, IN is a town with a population of 14,088 people and is located in north-central Porter County, Indiana. Chesterton scored high on many factors used to select the 10 best places to live in Northwest Indiana.

High-speed internet is available in Chesterton, but outlying areas may not have it.

When comparing home prices to annual income Chesterton is one of the cheapest places to live in Indiana. The median household income for Chesterton, IN is $73,977. This is just 3.83 times the median home sale price in 2021 of $283,700. This makes Chesterton a place where you can find affordable houses for sale in Northwest Indiana.

Chesterton is a vibrant town with a cherished small-town feel. The quaint downtown area has a really amazing charm. The town has a robust park system and is located minutes from the sandy beaches at the southern tip of Lake Michigan. Residents can easily commute around the area due to the fact the interstates highways I-94 and I-80/90 are nearby. Alternatively, you can ride the South Shore Line to downtown Chicago from Chesterton’s Dune Park station.

Click here to search for houses for sale in Chesterton, Indiana.

#3 Wanatah

• Wanatah offered the most affordable homes by every metric
• Less than 1,500 people live in Wanatah, Indiana

Will I ever hear about this or what? Yes, Quadwalls® places Wanatah, Indiana as the third best place to live in Northwest Indiana. Wanatah, IN is one of the cheapest places to live in Indiana with meaningful economic opportunities nearby.

Wanatah is a hamlet of a town located in east-central LaPorte County, Indiana. The population of Wanatah, Indiana is 1,235 people making it the smallest town on our list. So, how did Wanatah make it here?

First, by each metric Wanatah had the most affordable home prices. The average sale price of a house in Wanatah was $198,794 during 2021. The median sale price was $168,736. These were the lowest values of all the cities and towns on our list. But, it’s all relative, right? Well, Wanatah households have a median income of $67,784 just 2.49 times the median home value.

Children in Wanatah attend either Tri-Township Consolidated School Corp. or South Central Community Schools.  A negative about Wanatah is getting high-speed internet could be a challenge throughout the area.

Wanatah is a rural town with not a whole lot to do and not a lot there. But, Valparaiso is less than 10 minutes away to the west, Michigan City is about 15 minutes to the north, and LaPorte is about 20 minutes to the northeast.

Click here to search for houses for sale in Wanatah, Indiana.

#2 St. John

• St. John had the highest overall home values
• The median household income in St. John, IN is $105,852

St. John really is a jewel in Northwest Indiana, but it did not get the top spot. Let’s take a look at what makes St. John is a great place to live and why it only made it the second-best.

The school district for St. John is outstanding. The Lake Central School Corporation district is well-funded, robust school district. High-speed internet is readily available throughout St. John, too.

What held St. John back is the home prices. Although St. John has the highest median household income of any city or town in Northwest Indiana, the home prices are high, too. The median sale price for a house for sale in St. John during 2021 was $429,511. This is about 4.1 times the median income which put St. John in the middle of the pack for affordability.

St. John is a robust town located in west-central Lake County, Indiana. The town is bustling and an upper-middle-class suburb of Chicago. Residents can easily commute to Chicago; The Loop is just one hour away. Additionally, the town is surrounded by other towns with more shops, services, and restaurants than you could ever need. Some of these include Crown Point, Dyer, and Schererville.

Click here to search for houses for sale in St. John, Indiana.

#1 Crown Point

• Crown Point is located just 1 hour from The Loop
• The median house value in Crown Point is $319,450
• 30,488 people live in Crown Point, Indiana

Quadwalls has selected Crown Point as the #1 best place to live in Northwest Indiana. After balancing factors like  household income, , home values, and high-speed internet availability Crown Point takes the cake.

Crown Point is a city of just over 30,000 people located in central Lake County, Indiana. Crown Point Community Schools received a Grade A during its most recent evaluation by the Indiana Department of Education. High-speed internet is available to nearly all homes in Crown Point.  The median household income in Crown Point, Indiana is $76,927.

During 2021 the average home sale price for a house for sale in Crown Point, Indiana was $347,076. The median price for a house sold in Crown Point during 2021 was $319,450.

Residents in Crown Point have a great quality of life. The city maintains a robust park district. Historic downtown Crown Point, locally referred to as “The Square,” is home to boutique shops, pubs, and great restaurants. You can have all of this and be less than an hour away from Chicago. Crown Point is a gem and is one of the best cities to live in Indiana.

Click here to search for houses for sale in Crown Point, Indiana.

Conclusion

Northwest Indiana has some of the best places to live in Indiana.  The Region even has some of the cheapest places to live in Indiana, too.  Whether you currently live in Indiana or are thinking about moving to Indiana and need to find a house, let the team of Quadwalls Connected Agents help you do the finding. Click here to download the Quadwalls.com app today!