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Buying a home in Merrillville, Indiana

The typical owner-occupied home in Merrillville is worth about $211,400, 3% below the Indiana median of $218,200 and 36% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $1,805 a year in property taxes, about 0.85% of their home's value, higher than the Indiana rate of 0.74%. The median household earns $67,587 a year, so the median home costs 3.1 times the median income (3.0 times for Indiana). 70% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 70% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Merrillville at a glance

Merrillville Indiana U.S.
Median home value $211,400 $218,200 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $1,805 $1,614 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 0.85% 0.74% 0.94%
Median household income $67,587 $71,957 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 70% 71% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 70% 64% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,469 $1,404 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 21.2% 18.1% 21.0%
Median rent $1,282 $1,062 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 33.6% 29.1% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1979 1976 1980
Vacant homes 4.5% 8.8% 10.1%
Population 36,476 6,851,073 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Merrillville

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Merrillville home of $211,400 with 20% down costs about $1,376 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,728, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.

Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $58,950 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 24% of the median Merrillville household income of $67,587; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $242,000.

The median rent here is $1,282 a month, so owning the median home costs about $94 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$42,280
Loan amount$169,120
Principal and interest$1,138
Property taxes (0.85% a year)$150
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$88
PMI$0
Total per month$1,376

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$7,399
Loan amount$207,571
Principal and interest$1,396
Property taxes (0.85% a year)$150
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$88
FHA mortgage insurance$94
Total per month$1,728

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Questions about home buying in Merrillville

What is the median home value in Merrillville?

About $211,400 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Merrillville?

Homeowners pay a median $1,805 a year, which is about 0.85% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.

What income do you need to buy a home in Merrillville?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,376 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $58,950 a year.

More about Merrillville

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data