Indiana · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Jay County, IN

Prices around Jay County, IN run 6.7% below the U.S. average (BEA, Indiana). The typical household there earns $54,969 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $956 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $38,240 a year.

Jay County, IN at a glance

Median household income

$54,969$4,581 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$956HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)93.3-6.7% · BEA, Indiana
Electricity17.5¢per kWh · EIA Residential IN
Population20,229Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Jay 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$956Monthly market rent
Share of gross income20.9%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$38,240To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,374At 30% of $54,969
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

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

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

HUD Fair Market Rent in Jay County, IN, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$685$8,220$27,40015%
1-Bedroom Apartment$729$8,748$29,16015.9%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$956$11,472$38,24020.9%
3-Bedroom Home$1,261$15,132$50,44027.5%
4-Bedroom Home$1,266$15,192$50,64027.6%

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

What a typical income covers in Jay County, IN

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $54,969 a year ($4,581 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$2,290/moRent ($956 2-BR), utilities (~$158/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,374/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$916/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $54,969 leaves after Indiana taxes

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

$54,969
$20,000$110,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$54,969
Net 81%
Fed 8%
IN 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$44,756After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,730Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,721Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate18.6%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$4,416 / yr
Indiana state income tax$1,592 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$4,205 / yr

Living in Jay County, IN: common questions

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

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Jay County, IN is $54,969 per year (approximately $4,581 per month).

What is the average rent in Jay County, IN?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $685 for a studio, $729 for one bedroom, $956 for two, $1,261 for three and $1,266 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 Jay County, IN expensive to live in?

Prices there run 6.7% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for Indiana is 93.3, 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 Jay County, IN?

To keep a $956 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $38,240 a year, or $3,187 a month. That is 70% of what the typical household in Jay County, IN earns.

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

On the local median income of $54,969 ($4,581 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $2,290 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,374 for everything else and $916 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $956 takes 42% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Jay 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.