D

Lewis, IN

Source:

Affordability Score: 44/100

Population: 698 · 1 ZIP codes

The affordability dashboard for Lewis, IN aggregates Census ACS 5-Year Estimates across 1 ZIP code covering 698 residents, then layers in county-level federal data to produce an overall grade of D (44/100). The headline inputs are median household income of $49,473, median home value of $159,800, median rent of per month, and 9.5% of adults holding a bachelor's degree or higher. These four metrics alone explain most of the variance between city dashboards.

Cross-agency feeds widen the picture beyond Census demographics. HUD publishes a Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in this county at $1,094 per month (studio $859, 1BR $864, 3BR $1,312, 4BR $1,535).

Reading the overall grade requires reading all seven dimensions together. The score weights Income 20%, Safety 20%, Housing 15%, Rent 15%, Education 10%, Commute 10%, and Childcare 10%, with each sub-score benchmarked against national percentiles rather than state averages — so the grade is genuinely comparable across any city in the country. Pressure points are income, education. Unemployment currently reads 0.0% and poverty 43.7% — numbers worth keeping alongside the headline grade.

Score Breakdown

Income F
$49,473
Median household income
Education F
9.5%
Bachelor's degree or higher
Housing C
3.2x
Home value $159,800 vs income
Commute N/A
N/A
Average commute time
Rent C+
$1,094/mo
2BR fair market rent (27% of income)
Safety N/A
N/A
Violent crime rate (county)
Childcare N/A
N/A
Center-based infant care cost

Income & Employment

Median Income
$49,473
▼ 20% vs national
Per Capita Income
$17,644
Unemployment Rate
0.0%
Poverty Rate
43.7%

Housing

Median Home Value
$159,800
▼ 42% vs national
Median Rent
Owner Occupied
43.5%
2BR Fair Market Rent
$1,094/mo
▼ 9% vs national

Fair Market Rents by Bedroom

Studio
$859
1BR
$864
2BR
$1,094
3BR
$1,312
4BR
$1,535

Safety

Violent Crime Rate
Data Source
FBI UCR (county-level)

Education & Family

Bachelor's Degree+
9.5%
▼ 20 ppt vs national
High School+
20.6%
Median Age
24.5
Avg. Commute

Childcare Costs

Infant (Center)
Toddler (Center)
Preschool (Center)
School-Age (Center)

What This Means

Lewis, IN receives an overall affordability grade of D (44/100), aggregated from 1 ZIP codes with a total population of 698. Challenges include income and education. Data was unavailable for commute, safety, childcare — these dimensions were excluded from the overall score.

Nearby City Dashboards

Explore Lewis ZIP Codes
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What are common questions about this dashboard?

Is Lewis, IN affordable?
Lewis, IN receives an overall affordability grade of D (44/100) based on Census, HUD, FBI, and DOL data. Median household income is $49,473. Median home value is $159,800.
What is the cost of living in Lewis?
Key cost metrics: 2BR fair market rent $1,094/mo. Median home value $159,800.
How is the affordability score calculated?
The score evaluates 7 dimensions weighted by importance: Income (20%), Safety (20%), Housing (15%), Rent (15%), Education (10%), Commute (10%), and Childcare (10%). Each metric is compared against national percentile benchmarks from Census, HUD, FBI, and DOL data.

Data as of 2024. Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates. Source: HUD Fair Market Rents. Source: FBI Uniform Crime Report. Source: DOL National Database of Childcare Prices. Verify with HUD →