Indiana · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Starke County, IN

Prices around Starke County, IN run 6.7% below the U.S. average (BEA, Indiana). The typical household there earns $63,960 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.

Starke County, IN at a glance

Median household income

$63,960$5,330 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
Population23,365Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Starke 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 income17.9%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$38,240To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,599At 30% of $63,960
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

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

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

HUD Fair Market Rent in Starke County, IN, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$685$8,220$27,40012.9%
1-Bedroom Apartment$729$8,748$29,16013.7%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$956$11,472$38,24017.9%
3-Bedroom Home$1,151$13,812$46,04021.6%
4-Bedroom Home$1,517$18,204$60,68028.5%

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

What a typical income covers in Starke County, IN

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $63,960 a year ($5,330 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$2,665/moRent ($956 2-BR), utilities (~$158/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,599/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,066/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $63,960 leaves after Indiana taxes

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

$63,960
$25,000$130,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$63,960
Net 81%
Fed 9%
IN 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$51,715After all taxes
Monthly deposit$4,310Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,989Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate19.2%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$5,495 / yr
Indiana state income tax$1,857 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$4,893 / yr

Living in Starke County, IN: common questions

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

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Starke County, IN is $63,960 per year (approximately $5,330 per month).

What is the average rent in Starke 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, $1,151 for three and $1,517 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 Starke 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 Starke 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 60% of what the typical household in Starke County, IN earns.

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

On the local median income of $63,960 ($5,330 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $2,665 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,599 for everything else and $1,066 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $956 takes 36% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Starke 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.