Median Age
41 Years
Largest Age Group
20-29 Years
Approximately 13% of Residents
Under 20
23%
Over 65
20%
Merrillville, IN Area Guide
Avg Rent
$1,350
Population
35,594
Renter Mix
38% Rent
Enjoy northwestern Indiana’s options for retail and recreation
Suburban
•
Diverse
•
Historic
Situated about 40 miles southeast of Chicago, Merrillville is the commercial hub of northwestern Indiana, offering a wide variety of options for shopping, dining, and entertainment. Merrillville residents enjoy access to the expansive Southlake Mall, the area’s only indoor mall, in addition to an array of local and national restaurants.
Merrillville is also home to Deep River Waterpark, where guests can go swimming in the summer and ice skating in the winter. Hidden Lake Park and Oak Ridge Prairie and Oak Savannah Trail provide hiking opportunities while Turkey Creek Golf Course and Innsbrook Country Club supply options for golfing. Merrillville residents delight in cultural amenities like the Indiana Ballet Theatre, Star Plaza Theatre, Merrillville Community Planetarium, and Merrillville-Ross Township Historical Museum as well.
While Merrillville touts a small-town feel, the many metropolitan luxuries of Chicago are less than an hour’s drive away. Convenience to Interstates 65, 90, and 94 as well as U.S. 30 makes getting around from Merrillville simple.
Explore the City
Newly constructed, contemporary homes can be found in Merrillville.
The Southlake Mall is the shopping hub for residents in Merrillville.
Demographics
Median Household Income
$62,064
Average: $75,160
Education
6,915
Residents Have a Degree
Job Market
16,703
Workers Employed
Age Distribution
Get a sense of this area's population profile.
Housing Distribution
Merrillville has more homeowners than renters.
Renters
38%
Non-Renters
62%
Education Distribution
Review this city's overall education levels.
Bachelor's or Higher
16%
Other Education
84%
Rent Trends
As of July 2026, the average apartment rent in Merrillville, IN is $955 for a studio, $1,350 for one bedroom, $1,634 for two bedrooms, and $2,029 for three bedrooms. Apartment rent in Merrillville has increased by 1.0% in the past year.
Property Type
Average Rent
Average Sq Ft
Apartment
$1,350/month
776 Sq Ft
House
$1,803/month
870 Sq Ft
Learn More About Merrillville
Getting Around
Explore how walkable, bikeable, drivable, and transit-friendly Merrillville, IN is for everyday living.
Fairly Walkable
Walkability
50
/ 100
Exceptionally Drivable
Drivability
90
/ 100
Somewhat Bikeable
Bikeability
30
/ 100
Scores provided by
Schools
Public
Grades PK-5
315 Students
Merrillville Intermediate School
Public
Grades K-5
855 Students
Edgar L Miller Elementary School
Public
Grades PK-5
330 Students
Jonas E Salk Elementary School
Public
Grades PK-5
565 Students
Homer Iddings Elementary School
Public
Grades PK-5
535 Students
Public
Grades 6-8
878 Students
Public
Grades 9-12
2,115 Students
School data provided by
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
View GreatSchools Rating Methodology
Data provided by
GreatSchools.org
© 2026. All rights reserved.
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
View GreatSchools Rating Methodology
Data provided by
GreatSchools.org
© 2026. All rights reserved.
Points of Interest
Shopping Centers
Parks and Recreation
- Taltree Arboretum & Gardens
Airports
- Chicago Midway International
Top Apartments in Merrillville
Houses for Rent in Merrillville
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Nearby City Rentals
Nearby Neighborhood Rentals
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Methodology
† Our analysis of utilities, groceries, transportation, healthcare, home prices, and other goods and services is sourced from the Cost of Living Index, a respected benchmark published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) that provides a thorough overview of living expenses across different regions.
Rent data is provided by CoStar Group’s Market Trend reports. As the industry leader in commercial real estate information, analytics, and news, CoStar conducts extensive research to produce and maintain a comprehensive database of commercial real estate information. We combine this data with public record to provide the most up-to-date rental information available.
Consumer goods, services, and home prices are sourced from the Cost of Living Index published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER). The data on this page is updated quarterly. It was last published in June 2026.
Demographic information comes from Neustar and combines detailed address data with U.S. Census and American Community Survey statistics to produce reliable local estimates.