The Town FilesMerrillville, Indiana
Town in Lake County · population 36,444 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $211,400
- Household income
- $67,587
- Jan low / Jul high
- 18° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 27 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 32
- Median age
- 42.4
Merrillville is a town of 36,444 people in Lake County, Indiana. The median home is worth $211,400, above the typical Indiana town ($150,400). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 98% of Indiana towns, better transit than 97% of Indiana towns, better for young professionals than 83% of Indiana towns.
How Merrillville ranks
Percentile among Indiana towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Indiana towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Merrillville is worth $211,400, above the typical Indiana town ($150,400). Homes cost about 3.1 times the median household income of $67,587, which is more affordable than 19% of Indiana towns. Median rent is $1,282 a month. 70.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Merrillville | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $211,400 | $150,400 |
| Median rent | $1,282 | $888 |
| Median household income | $67,587 | $61,953 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.1× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 70.5% | 73.4% |
| Median year built | 1979 | 1966 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Merrillville
| People | Merrillville | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.4 | 38.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.7% | 17.1% |
| Under 18 | 20.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.1% | 17.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.6% | 11.6% |
| Veterans | 7.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 6.3% | — |
| Work from home | 7.3% | 6.2% |
| Average commute | 32.1 min | 24.7 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.7% | 89.2% |
Weather in Merrillville
July highs average 82.9°F and January lows 17.6°F. About 40.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 26.6 inches of snow (typical Indiana town: 21.1 in). Expect about 9 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 124 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
32 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Merrillville since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Indiana town. 11 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on October 24, 1967 about 7.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 11, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 61 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on July 7, 2017.
Severe weather in Lake County since 1996
Lake County has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 25, 2026 | Flood | DR-4933: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| August 15, 2026 | Flood | EM-3651: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3641: Severe Winter Storm |
| April 15, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4704: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| April 3, 2020 | Biological | DR-4515: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Lake County
Lake County had 191,633 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $61,200 a year. Unemployment was 5% in 2023; in Merrillville itself the ACS puts it at 7.5%.
Public schools in Merrillville
9 public schools with 6,094 students, about 15.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Merrillville High School | 9-12 | 2,051 | 16.1 |
| Pierce Middle School | 7-8 | 899 | 14.5 |
| Merrillville Intermediate School | 5-6 | 769 | 13.7 |
| Jonas E Salk Elementary School | PK-4 | 593 | 15.6 |
| Homer Iddings Elementary School | PK-4 | 471 | 14.7 |
| Henry P Fieler Elementary School | PK-4 | 444 | 15.9 |
| Edgar L Miller Elementary School | PK-4 | 348 | 13.4 |
| John Wood Elementary School | PK-4 | 292 | 14.6 |
| Higher Institute of Arts & Tech (charter) | K-8 | 227 | 17.5 |
Towns near Merrillville
- Hobart, IN3.6 mi · 29,752 people · home $215,200
- Crown Point, IN4.6 mi · 33,899 people · home $294,800
- Winfield, IN5.1 mi · 7,181 people · home $409,500
- Schererville, IN6.5 mi · 29,646 people · home $314,900
- Griffith, IN6.7 mi · 16,528 people · home $210,100
- Lakes of the Four Seasons, IN6.9 mi · 7,091 people · home $337,300
- Lake Station, IN7.9 mi · 13,235 people · home $137,400
- St. John, IN8.0 mi · 20,303 people · home $406,300
Merrillville questions
Is Merrillville, Indiana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Merrillville scores better for retirees than 42% of Indiana towns and quieter than 13%. 20.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.4).
How much does a house cost in Merrillville?
The median owner-occupied home in Merrillville is valued at $211,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $67,587, so homes cost about 3.1 times income. Median rent is $1,282 a month.
What is the weather like in Merrillville?
July highs average 82.9°F and January lows 17.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 40.3 inches of precipitation a year and 26.6 inches of snow.
Does Merrillville get tornadoes?
32 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Merrillville since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on October 24, 1967. The typical Indiana town has had 23.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)