Indiana · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Elkhart County, IN

Prices around Elkhart County, IN run 9.7% below the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $68,561 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,183 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $47,320 a year.

Elkhart County, IN at a glance

Median household income

$68,561$5,713 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,183HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)90.3-9.7% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity17.5¢per kWh · EIA Residential IN
Population207,132Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Elkhart County, IN?

HUD’s fair market rent for each size, against what a typical household here earns. Change the income to see yours.

Affordable (< 30% of income)
HUD Fair Market Rent$1,183Monthly market rent
Share of gross income20.7%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$47,320To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,714At 30% of $68,561
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

How much is rent in Elkhart County, IN? By bedroom, 2026

HUD's fiscal 2026 Fair Market Rents for Elkhart-Goshen, IN MSA, with the income each one takes if rent stays under 30% of it.

HUD Fair Market Rent in Elkhart County, IN, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$968$11,616$38,72016.9%
1-Bedroom Apartment$992$11,904$39,68017.4%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,183$14,196$47,32020.7%
3-Bedroom Home$1,553$18,636$62,12027.2%
4-Bedroom Home$1,581$18,972$63,24027.7%

Rent in Elkhart County, IN, with the wage each unit needs →

What a typical income covers in Elkhart County, IN

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $68,561 a year ($5,713 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$2,857/moRent ($1,183 2-BR), utilities (~$158/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,714/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,143/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $68,561 leaves after Indiana taxes

Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and Indiana tax on the local median income. Change the salary to see yours.

$68,561
$25,000$140,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$68,561
Net 80%
Fed 9%
IN 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$55,070After all taxes
Monthly deposit$4,589Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$2,118Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate19.7%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$6,253 / yr
Indiana state income tax$1,993 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$5,245 / yr

Living in Elkhart County, IN: common questions

What is the median household income in Elkhart County, IN?

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Elkhart County, IN is $68,561 per year (approximately $5,713 per month).

What is the average rent in Elkhart County, IN?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $968 for a studio, $992 for one bedroom, $1,183 for two, $1,553 for three and $1,581 for four, utilities included.

It is not an average of listings. HUD sets it at the rent 40% of recent movers paid or less for a standard unit, so a new lease on a nicer place will usually cost more.

Is Elkhart County, IN expensive to live in?

Prices there run 9.7% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 90.3, where the U.S. is 100. Rent moves the number most: housing is where places differ, while goods cost about the same everywhere.

How much do you need to earn to comfortably afford rent in Elkhart County, IN?

To keep a $1,183 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $47,320 a year, or $3,943 a month. That is 69% of what the typical household in Elkhart County, IN earns.

How much do you need to live comfortably in Elkhart County, IN?

On the local median income of $68,561 ($5,713 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $2,857 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,714 for everything else and $1,143 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,183 takes 41% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Elkhart County, IN?

Homes in Indiana paid 17.5¢ per kWh on average (EIA). At 900 kWh a month, a typical use, that is about $158. Your bill depends mostly on heating and cooling.