Indiana rent guide
The Cheapest Cities to Rent in Indiana (July 2026)
Data as of Jun 9, 2026 · 472 rentals across 63 Indiana cities
Indiana is one of the more affordable states we track. The deep value is in the mid-size industrial cities (Fort Wayne, Evansville, Terre Haute, South Bend), while the premium sits in the Indianapolis north suburbs (Carmel, Fishers, Zionsville) and college Bloomington. We track every apartment we can find and rank the cities below by their typical rent, straight from live listings.
The lowest typical rent right now is in Evansville (about $906/mo), while Carmel sits at the top ($1,479/mo). For most renters the choice is Indianapolis-metro vs the mid-size cities; the bedroom count you need matters from there.
Indiana cities by typical rent, cheapest first
| # | City | Typical | From | Listings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evansville | $906 | $814 | 20 |
| 2 | Terre Haute | $925 | $800 | 7 |
| 3 | Muncie | $940 | $865 | 5 |
| 4 | Lafayette | $1,014 | $800 | 11 |
| 5 | Elkhart | $1,034 | $800 | 8 |
| 6 | Indianapolis | $1,050 | $800 | 159 |
| 7 | Bloomington | $1,059 | $805 | 27 |
| 8 | Clarksville | $1,066 | $810 | 8 |
| 9 | Lawrenceburg | $1,072 | $950 | 5 |
| 10 | West Lafayette | $1,099 | $829 | 7 |
| 11 | Columbus | $1,099 | $950 | 7 |
| 12 | Greenwood | $1,133 | $832 | 12 |
| 13 | New Albany | $1,175 | $820 | 9 |
| 14 | Hammond | $1,195 | $995 | 7 |
| 15 | Mishawaka | $1,199 | $835 | 11 |
| 16 | Fort Wayne | $1,203 | $835 | 18 |
| 17 | South Bend | $1,204 | $859 | 13 |
| 18 | Jeffersonville | $1,210 | $860 | 14 |
| 19 | Merrillville | $1,250 | $829 | 11 |
| 20 | Fishers | $1,270 | $1,165 | 10 |
| 21 | Valparaiso | $1,313 | $955 | 7 |
| 22 | Plainfield | $1,400 | $840 | 5 |
| 23 | Goshen | $1,410 | $815 | 5 |
| 24 | Carmel | $1,479 | $1,034 | 17 |
How we rank them
“Typical” is the median rent across everything we track in a city, so half the listings are cheaper and half pricier. “From” is the single cheapest unit listed right now. We include cities with at least five live listings and exclude single rooms and senior housing. Small-city medians can swing on a handful of listings, so the bigger markets like Indianapolis, Fort Wayne and Evansville are the most stable. Refreshes when our data does (last updated Jun 9, 2026).
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest city to rent in Indiana?
By typical (median) rent it's Evansville, around $906/mo, then Terre Haute and Muncie. The best value is in the mid-size industrial cities (Fort Wayne, Evansville, Terre Haute, South Bend), well away from the affluent Indianapolis north suburbs. The ranking rebuilds from live listings, so it moves with the market.
How much does it cost to rent in Indianapolis?
Indianapolis itself runs about $1,050/mo typical, which is moderate for a big metro. The premium is in the north suburbs: Carmel runs about $1,479, with Fishers and Zionsville close behind. Stay in the city proper or go to the value cities and you'll pay noticeably less.
Where is rent most expensive in Indiana?
Carmel tops the list at about $1,479/mo, which tracks: the priciest rents are the Indianapolis north suburbs (Carmel, Fishers, Zionsville, Westfield) and college Bloomington. The industrial mid-size cities are far cheaper.
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