Average Rent in Gary, IN (2026)

Typical asking rent in Gary is $1,390. Across the 5 ZIP codes with data it runs from $1,169 to $1,429, so which side of town you buy on matters as much as the city average. Data as of July 2026.

Median rent
$1,390
Average rent
$1,349
Lowest ZIP
$1,169
Highest ZIP
$1,429

Rent by ZIP code in Gary

ZIP codeCountyTypical rentvs city median
46408Lake County$1,429+3%
46403Lake County$1,415+2%
46404Lake County$1,3900%
46409Lake County$1,340-4%
46407Lake County$1,169-16%

Rent by bedroom count in Gary

Zillow's index above blends every unit size into one number. For a bedroom level view, these are HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rents for Lake County. They include utilities and sit near the 40th percentile of the market, so treat them as the low side of what a typical unit lists for. Lake County uses Small Area FMRs, and the two bedroom figure runs from $1,150 to $1,490 depending on the Gary ZIP code.

Unit sizeFY2027 Fair Market RentChange from FY2026
Studio$1,117+16.5%
1 bedroom$1,176+8.7%
2 bedroom$1,429+8.5%
3 bedroom$1,739+7.9%
4 bedroom$1,898+8.8%

Source: HUD Fair Market Rents. Updates when HUD publishes a new fiscal year.

Is rent going up or down in Gary?

Typical rent across Lake County is $1,471 as of August 2026. That is up 4.9% from a year earlier and up 31.7% over five years.

YearTypical rent, Lake CountyChange
2021$1,152+13.2%
2022$1,205+4.5%
2023$1,284+6.6%
2024$1,363+6.2%
2025$1,434+5.2%
2026 (through August)$1,471+2.6%

Zillow Observed Rent Index for the county, all home types, last published month of each year. Each row is compared with the end of the year before it.

Gary rent questions

What is the average rent in Gary, IN?
Typical asking rent in Gary is $1,390 a month as of July 2026, across 5 ZIP codes. By ZIP code it runs from $1,169 to $1,429.
How much is rent for a 2 bedroom in Gary?
HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rent for a two bedroom in Lake County is $1,429 a month including utilities. A one bedroom is $1,176 and a three bedroom is $1,739. Fair Market Rent is set near the 40th percentile, so a typical unit lists somewhat higher.
Is rent going up or down in Gary?
Rent is rising. Typical rent in Lake County is $1,471 as of August 2026, up 4.9% from a year earlier.
What is the cheapest ZIP code to rent in Gary?
ZIP 46407 has the lowest typical asking rent in Gary at $1,169 a month, compared with $1,390 for the city overall.
How much income do you need to rent in Gary?
Most landlords look for gross income of about three times the rent. At the typical Gary rent of $1,390, that is about $4,170 a month, or $50,040 a year. This is a common screening rule of thumb, and individual landlords set their own.

How to use these numbers

These are Zillow Observed Rent Index values, a smoothed measure of typical asking rent for single family homes, condos, and apartments in each ZIP code. They describe what units are listed for, not what any specific unit will get. Condition, bedroom count, and the exact block all move the number.

If you are underwriting a purchase, use the ZIP figure rather than the city median, and then verify against live listings for the same bedroom count before you commit. Gary sits in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI metro area.

Other Indiana cities

Would a rental in Gary cash flow?

Start the analyzer with the Gary median rent of $1,390 and add a real purchase price to see cash flow, cap rate, and cash-on-cash return.