Last refreshed September 28, 2026.
Last updated: September 28, 2026 (America/Chicago). This is the live numbers page for people deciding between Northwest Indiana and the Chicago south and west suburbs. It is not a national marketplace, and it is not a blog post that ages in the feed. We refresh it. Today’s Monday re-verify moved the 30-year fixed to Freddie Mac 7.03% as of September 24 (up from 6.95% the prior week). Illinois REALTORS August LMU is now live (city sale $405,000 / metro sale $395,000). Chicago city Realtor.com September list $385,000 / sold $390,000 and Naperville sold $670,745 re-verified. Redfin town medians stay on the June–August 2026 county city tables (posts dated September 8; no September Redfin city tables yet). NWI June MLS, NIRA Jun–Aug rolling, and Chicago metro August list are re-verified.
If you want the street-level read, talk to Realest at (219) 808-1520 or realest.com/contact. Licensed in Indiana and Illinois. Search live inventory at realest.com/listing.
The longer August write-up is the 2026 Northwest Indiana and Chicago housing market update. The state-line walkthrough is Moving to Lansing, Illinois. The Metra-village walkthrough is Moving to Homewood, Illinois. The newer-housing walkthrough is Moving to St. John, Indiana. Also on the blog: Moving to Crown Point, Indiana, Moving to Schererville, Indiana, Moving to Merrillville, Indiana, and Moving to Flossmoor, Illinois. If the move is the point, start with Illinois to Indiana relocation.
What are property taxes like in Northwest Indiana?
Homestead bills sit under Indiana’s 1% circuit breaker cap. Illinois does not have that cap. District rates still differ by town on the 2026 DLGF orders. The full answer, with verified rates, is What are property taxes like in Northwest Indiana?. Do not use a Facebook average.
Best towns in Northwest Indiana for Chicago commuters?
Answer first: If Chicago is the job and Northwest Indiana is the house, pick the town by commute mode, not by a slogan. South Shore / Monon towns we already keep live guides for: Hammond, Munster, Dyer, Gary, Portage, Chesterton, and Michigan City. Car-first towns Chicago buyers actually shop: Crown Point, St. John, Schererville, and Highland. Longer moving reads: Moving to Dyer, Moving to Munster, and Illinois to Indiana relocation.
Confirm the current South Shore Line station map and parking. Drive your actual hour on I-80/94, I-65, or US-30. We will not invent downtown Chicago drive times or Metra minutes from these towns. Call Sash at (219) 808-1520, search homes on Realest.com, or contact Realest.
How to read this
A median is not your house. Mix of sales moves the number. A few more mid-range closings, or a few fewer upper-end sales, will swing a town figure. Price the address to recent closed sales on the same block, then talk to a broker. We only publish numbers we can still stand behind. Towns without a verified median are marked that way. We do not invent one.
Regional snapshot
- Northwest Indiana, June 2026 MLS: median sale $299,000, 1,089 closings, average 34 days on market. TWG has not posted a July or August single-month recap yet, so this stays the latest full TWG month. NIRA’s June–August 2026 rolling MLS median is $299,900 with average 21 days on market (report updated September 8). Sources: TWG Realty June 2026 recap; Indiana Association of REALTORS NIRA 3-month rolling report, August 2026.
- Chicago metro, August 2026 list: median list $395,000, up 5.4% from August 2025. Typical home spent 36 days on market. Source: Realtor.com Chicago housing market, August 2026.
- Chicago city, September 2026 (Realtor.com): median list $385,000, median sold $390,000. That is the city page, not the nine-county metro. Source: Realtor.com Chicago market, September 2026.
- Chicago, August 2026 sale (Illinois REALTORS): city of Chicago median sale $405,000, up 8.0% from August 2025 (1,907 closings). Nine-county Chicago metro median sale $395,000, up 5.3%. Source: Illinois REALTORS MSA August 2026 PDF; Metro August 2026 PDF.
- Chicago, Redfin August 2026 city table: median sale $426,255 in the June through August 2026 window (7,541 sales). That is the City of Chicago row on Redfin’s Cook County table, not a nine-county metro blend. Source: Redfin, Cook County, August 2026.
- 30-year fixed mortgage: 7.03% as of September 24, 2026 (up from 6.95% the prior week). Source: Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey.
Town medians
Lake County, Indiana towns use Redfin’s June through August 2026 city table (50 or more sales). Cook County towns use the same June through August 2026 window on Redfin’s Cook County table. Naperville and Hinsdale use Redfin’s DuPage County June through August 2026 table. Each town name goes to the existing guide on this site.
| Town | Median sale | Window and source |
|---|---|---|
| Crown Point, IN | $335,778 | Redfin, Lake County, Jun-Aug 2026 |
| Schererville, IN | $339,775 | Redfin, Lake County, Jun-Aug 2026 |
| Dyer, IN | $356,254 | Redfin, Lake County, Jun-Aug 2026 |
| Munster, IN | $358,763 | Redfin, Lake County, Jun-Aug 2026 |
| Highland, IN | $274,718 | Redfin, Lake County, Jun-Aug 2026 |
| St. John, IN | $469,379 | Redfin, Lake County, Jun-Aug 2026 |
| Cedar Lake, IN | $352,267 | Redfin, Lake County, Jun-Aug 2026 |
| Lansing, IL | $209,861 | Redfin, Cook County, Jun-Aug 2026 |
| Homewood, IL | $241,840 | Redfin, Cook County, Jun-Aug 2026 |
| Naperville, IL | $654,567 median sale; $670,745 median sold | Redfin DuPage Jun-Aug 2026 median sale. Realtor.com September 2026 median sold. |
| Hinsdale, IL | $1,548,975 | Redfin, DuPage County, Jun-Aug 2026 |
Sources: Redfin, Lake County IN, August 2026 · Redfin, Cook County IL, August 2026 · Redfin, DuPage County IL, August 2026 · Realtor.com Naperville market snapshot (September 2026 median sold $670,745).
What this comparison is for
Chicago list and sale numbers sit well above the Northwest Indiana June MLS median. That is why Illinois buyers keep a Crown Point tab and a south-suburb tab open in the same session. It is not a claim that every Indiana house is a bargain, or that every Illinois suburb is overpriced. Lansing and Homewood are a different product than Naperville and Hinsdale. Munster and St. John are a different product than Highland.
If you are comparing a payment, run taxes and insurance on the specific address. A median will not do that work.
Search homes or talk to Realest
Search homes on Realest.com. Filter from the full inventory. Then walk the street.
Questions about Northwest Indiana versus the Chicago suburbs? Call (219) 808-1520 or use the Realest contact form. Realest Realty, 112 S. Main St Suite B, Crown Point, IN 46307. Licensed in Indiana and Illinois.
Town guides: Crown Point, Schererville, Dyer, Munster, Highland, St. John, Cedar Lake, Lansing, Homewood, Naperville, Hinsdale, Illinois to Indiana.
What’s your home worth? Start at RealestValues.com.
How to buy a home in Northwest Indiana — first-time steps with Ask Realest handoff.
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How to hire a Realtor in Northwest Indiana — interview checklist with Ask Realest handoff.
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Moving to Northwest Indiana — shortlist three towns, run taxes, then Realest listings.
What to do before you list in Northwest Indiana — walk it like a buyer before photo day.
Do buyers pay commission in NWI? — written buyer agreements after Aug 2024.
Buying and selling at the same time in NWI? — sell-first, buy-first, or simultaneous; contingent vs not.
Indiana vs Illinois closing costs and title? — customs, transfer tax, who typically pays.
Should I get pre-approved before I tour homes in Northwest Indiana? — letter before the weekend loop.
What is a home inspection contingency in Northwest Indiana? – inspection window after you write.
What should buyers notice at the Fall Parade of Homes in Northwest Indiana? – Stonebridge Valparaiso tour tips vs shopping resale (through Sep 27).
What happens after you accept an offer in Northwest Indiana? – inspection, appraisal, title, repairs, closing after acceptance.