Chicago

Most affordable Chicago suburbs

Ranked on what a household actually pays: the in-house cost-of-living index at 55%, the median home value against the metro at 25% (lower is better here), and the share of households already stretched by housing costs at 20%.

Updated Sep 2026·60 suburbs considered, 10 listed
1
Downtown Hammond, Indiana May 23, 2016
Hammond$160k median · 25.7 min commute
Cost of living B+Housing FEmployment F
74
Affordability
overall 45 D
2
Merrillville Skyline looking northeast toward US Route 30
Merrillville$211k median · 32.1 min commute
Cost of living A−Housing D−Employment F
73
Affordability
overall 48 D+
3
Central Avenue in downtown Portage, Indiana
Portage$224k median · 27.3 min commute
Cost of living B+Housing D−Employment F
71
Affordability
overall 47 D
4
Main in downtown Hobart, Indiana, looking southeast
Hobart$215k median · 26.5 min commute
Cost of living B+Housing D−Employment D+
70
Affordability
overall 49 D+
5
Lincolnway in downtown Valparaiso, Indiana
Valparaiso$267k median · 24.8 min commute
Cost of living A−Housing D−Employment D+
69
Affordability
overall 66 C+
6
Downtown Gary, Indiana, as seen from the South Shore Line Station
Gary$95k median · 25.9 min commute
Cost of living B+Housing FEmployment F
69
Affordability
overall 37 F
7
Intersection of Main St. and US. 41. Welcome to Schererville sign.
Schererville$315k median · 31.3 min commute
Cost of living B+Housing C−Employment D+
69
Affordability
overall 59 C
8
Crown Point Courthouse Square Historic District, Roughly bounded by Clark St., the alley east of Main St., Hack Ct., and Court St.; also roughly bounded by Robi
Crown Point$295k median · 29.0 min commute
Cost of living B−Housing CEmployment C
68
Affordability
overall 61 C
9
Library Hall in Carpentersville, Illinois. On NRHP since August 14, 1973 21 N. Washington St. Now used as offices for the Park District
Carpentersville$234k median · 28.2 min commute
Cost of living CHousing DEmployment D+
60
Affordability
overall 54 C−
10
This is the Genesee Theatre in downtown Waukegan, Illinois
Waukegan$191k median · 26.1 min commute
Cost of living CHousing FEmployment D−
60
Affordability
overall 51 D+
This list's weighting
Cost of living 55%Median home value (lower is better) 25%Cost-burdened households 20%
Other Chicago lists
Best Chicago suburbs for familiesBest Chicago suburbs for schoolsShortest commutes to Downtown ChicagoMost walkable Chicago suburbsBest Chicago suburbs for young professionalsHow we score Chicago suburbs →

Photos from Wikimedia Commons: Hammond (HammondMan · CC BY-SA 4.0); Merrillville (Dennisyerger84 · CC BY-SA 3.0); Portage (Dennisyerger84 · CC BY-SA 4.0); Hobart (Dennisyerger84 · CC BY-SA 3.0); Valparaiso (Dennisyerger84 · CC BY-SA 3.0); Gary (WeaponizingArchitecture · CC BY-SA 4.0); Schererville (JoeyBLS (talk) · Public domain); Crown Point (T. Tolbert · CC BY-SA 3.0); Carpentersville (Smallbones · Public domain); Waukegan (edward P. steinburg desnged · CC BY-SA 3.0).