Young family with 40k (Gary, Hammond: apartment, rentals, crime rates)

[domus]

Hello City-Data Community:

I am born and raised in Chicago and live in the McKinley Park area with spouse and 3 kids. We currently live in an apartment building with no yard access, there's a school park nearby but come winter time our 2-bedroom apartment is not able to handle too well our growing children. Oldest is 7. My salary is around 40k and my wife stays at home raising and home-schooling our children. My job is near China-town. We are thinking that maybe Northwest Indiana can be cheaper for us and calm.

Perhaps renting a house first to see if it fits or maybe just buying a house can be a possibility? Our rent is very cheap currently, $650. Finding something better is difficult at around this price but also we feel we want more wilderness and not the neighbors' houses so close to us. Also the violence can be felt, among other issues like making sure we don't get ticketed by the police (not enough parking space and zone permit area around us, especially during street cleaning).

Is there something in NWI for us? We have checked out some parts of Indiana several times but since we don't really know people from this area and can't get a good picture for our situation from other City-Data posts and webpages we are asking people with actual experience. The area that seems middle-ground is Dyer but maybe might be expensive for us? Does Hammond or Gary have good pockets for our budget? But we wouldn't mind spending a bit more if is a good place.

Thank you for any help provided.

[rrah]

I'm not suggesting it's impossible, but you will be hard pressed to find a rental apartment, let alone a house, at that price in a safe area in Hammond. Maybe possible in Gary, but I don't know how safe or calm it would be. Lake Station, farther east, might be a possibility.

Dyer is probably out of your budget. Have you looked at some of the other south suburbs like Lansing or South Holland?

[chet everett]

While you probably can rent a decent enough house in Hammond for far less than a similar sized home in nearly any part of Chicago or the Illinois suburbs it is still much more than you are currently paying in rent -- 920 Spruce St, Hammond, IN 46324 | Zillow

If you have sufficient saving you might want to think about buying a home -- 8114 Howard Ave, Munster, IN 46321 | MLS #399001 | Zillow

With current mortgages rates as low as they are you could probably afford a home of about $170K on your salary of $40k with monthly payments around $800/mo and a downpayment of about $6000... https://smartasset.com/mortgage/how-...e-can-i-afford

[cobra86]

I guess the bigger question is how will you commute to your job near Chinatown? Add those costs (don't forget time) and you will probably be spending any savings you will be lucky to find in rent. To each their own, but I wouldn't move this far away for 40k, unless you are considering finding new employment in NWI or the South Subs.

[svillechris]

Originally Posted by cobra86

I guess the bigger question is how will you commute to your job near Chinatown? Add those costs (don't forget time) and you will probably be spending any savings you will be lucky to find in rent. To each their own, but I wouldn't move this far away for 40k, unless you are considering finding new employment in NWI or the South Subs.

Agreed. Maybe Whting? Nothing further into NWI than that as the commute/cost wouldn't be worth it for a 40k job in my opinion.

[rrah]

Originally Posted by McdonaldIndy

And you like to complain about my advice..... Lansing? South Holland??? Lol you can't be serious.

Have you ever physically stepped foot in either of those places or spent time there? A car doesn't count. I have family members that have lived in Lansing for decades. They've never had a problem.

Both towns/villages have lower than average crime rates for the U.S. and IL. Lansing does have more property crimes--probably do to the River Oaks shopping area.

Both are solid middle/lower middle class communities.

Unfortunately both would probably be over budget for the OP. Housing costs are affordable, but rentals are a bit high.

Whiting is a great suggestion by another poster--if a rental can be found and is affordable. I think Whiting tends to be a bit pricier these days.

[cobra86]

Yea my two roommates and I paid $1100 for a 3 bed 1 bath house in Lansing near TF South. That was 2012/3. House was nothing sizable typical post WW2 cape cod style you find so OP good luck. Your best bet is staying or pay a little more in a neighborhood over or something.

[domus]

I appreciate your comments thus far. I usually work 4 days a week and I drive a compact car, do you think this is enough to offset the distance?

[Humboldt1]

At 40k income with stay at home wife and 3 kids it is hard to afford decent housing with decent schools. If your kids are school age would you consider having wife work and live in better area where you can enroll the kids in public schools?

Do you just have the one compact car? Your income is so limited that you should consider moving to rural area where your money will go further if you insist upon your wife staying home.

I cannot imagine making 40k and having wife and 3 kids to support.

[domus]

I imagine many people go through this. It is tough, but this is why I am looking to move. Somehow I feel that our life could be better and our money could run longer somewhere around NWI or near it like rrah mentioned it.