East Chicago, Indiana Income Statistics
East Chicago Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of an area's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
-
F
East Chicago Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | East Chicago | Indiana Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $42,351 | $71,967 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $41,001 | $55,757 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 5.2% | 4.5% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 2.9% | 10.2% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 3.4% | 8.2% | 13.2% |
The median household income in East Chicago is about 41% lower than in Indiana. Income has been growing faster in East Chicago (5.2%/yr) than in Indiana (4.5%/yr).
About 3% of adults in East Chicago earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the Indiana average of 10%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in East Chicago, Indiana grew by 42.2% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $42,351 in 2024. That's an average of about 5.2% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in East Chicago
| Metric | East Chicago | Indiana Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.551 | 0.534 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $44,473 | $65,086 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $38,961 | $51,220 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 12.4% | 21.3% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In East Chicago, it is 0.551, higher than Indiana's 0.534, so income is less evenly distributed here than there, and about the same as the US's 0.552, so income here is about as evenly distributed as there.
Men's income is about 14% more than women's income in East Chicago, Indiana. Over a 35-year career, a 14% wage gap accumulates to roughly $192,920 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in East Chicago, Indiana has narrowed from about 25% to 12% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 7% in 2015. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $4,453 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | East Chicago | Indiana Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 7.7% | 4.3% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 4.3% | 10.7% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 18 | 21 | 22 |
Approximately 866 people are unemployed in East Chicago, Indiana.
The average commute time in East Chicago is 18 minutes, shorter than the 21 minutes in Indiana.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in East Chicago, Indiana has fallen from 13.5% to 7.7% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 17.0% in 2014 and fell as low as 6.6% in 2022.
East Chicago, IN Wealth Compared With Nearby Cities
East Chicago, IN is the 3rd largest of the 4 cities compared here, 24,991 residents against a local median of 34,245. Where East Chicago, IN breaks from the cities next to it is income growth, sitting 38% above the local median of 3.8%/yr at 5.2%/yr. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
Median household income tells the same story from another angle: $42,351 against a local median of $57,106, 26% below it. The picture is mixed rather than uniform: income growth runs ahead of the neighbourhood while median household income runs behind it, so East Chicago, IN is trading one against the other rather than simply out-performing what surrounds it. The cities themselves sit within 0.9%/yr of each other on income growth, a tighter band than the gap between any of them and East Chicago, IN, which makes it a genuine outlier here rather than one end of a wide local spread. East Chicago, IN has the highest income growth of the 4 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Chicago, IN | 24,991 | $42,351 #4/4 | 5.2%/yr #1/4 | 7.7% #3/4 | 0.551 #3/4 |
| Hammond, IN | 76,072 | $56,237 | 3.8%/yr | 6.5% | 0.546 |
| Highland, IN | 23,705 | $78,673 | 3.0%/yr | 4.7% | 0.521 |
| Calumet City, IL | 34,245 | $57,106 | 3.9%/yr | 10.7% | 0.552 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, East Chicago, Indiana has an overall wealth index grade of F, making it somewhat worse than Indiana, and worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in East Chicago, Indiana.
How Wealthy Is East Chicago, Indiana?
East Chicago has a wealth index grade of F. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; an F grade means residents are well below the U.S. average. The median household income is $42,351, about 41% lower than the Indiana average of $71,967.
How fast is household income rising in East Chicago, Indiana?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in East Chicago, Indiana rose 42%, from $29,792 to $42,351. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Indiana as a whole: +42% against +52%.
What was the median household income in East Chicago in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in East Chicago, Indiana was $41,437, up 5% from $39,572 in 2022. The Indiana median that year was $70,115.
What was the median household income in East Chicago in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in East Chicago, Indiana was $35,538. By 2024 it had risen 19% to $42,351.
Is unemployment high in East Chicago, Indiana?
Unemployment in East Chicago, Indiana is 7.7%, well above the Indiana rate of 4.3%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in East Chicago, Indiana?
The Gini coefficient in East Chicago is 0.551. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is almost the same as the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed about as equally as in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in East Chicago, Indiana?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in East Chicago, Indiana has narrowed from about 25% to 12% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 7% in 2015. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $4,453 since 2009.
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