Places › Indiana › Mishawaka

Living in Mishawaka, IN

Small city in Indiana

Mishawaka is a small city in Indiana, home to about 51,000 people, with 421,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, there is some transit, though many people drive. Life moves at a relaxed pace, and homes are mostly apartments.

Is Mishawaka a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Affordable housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $226k and rents for $1,570 a month
  • Mild summers: highs around 81°F
  • Low natural disaster risk: 5 federally declared disasters since 2000
  • Strong healthcare: 3 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi

👎 Cons

  • Cloudier than most places
  • Smaller job market: about 421,000 people live within 31 mi
  • Fewer graduates: 28% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher
  • Fewer family amenities than most places

Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Mishawaka ranks against your own priorities.

Key facts

Population
51,000
421,000 within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
35°F / 81°F
Average daily highs · 50″ snow a year
3-bedroom home
$226k
Typical value (Zillow)
3-bedroom rent
$1,570/mo
Incl. utilities (HUD)
Cost of living
93
US average = 100 (BEA)
Taxes
$1,275
State income tax per resident · 0.98% property tax
Safety
No data
Not in FBI 2019 city table
Natural disasters
5 since 2000
Declared in the county · mainly flooding, cold waves
Top-rated hospitals
3
4–5★ within 31 mi (CMS)
Adults with a degree
28%
1 research university within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
MDW
82 mi away

Living in Mishawaka: common questions

What is the cost of living in Mishawaka?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $226k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $1,570 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are below the US average (index 93, where the US is 100).

What are taxes like in Mishawaka?

Indiana collects about $1,275 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 0.98% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is Mishawaka safe?

Mishawaka isn't in the FBI's 2019 city crime table, so Best Life Fit Me counts its safety as average.

What is the weather like in Mishawaka?

Mishawaka has long, snowy winters: winter days average around 35°F and summer days around 81°F, with roughly 50″ of snow a year.

Does Mishawaka get natural disasters?

Natural disaster risk is low, mainly from flooding, cold waves and tornadoes: 5 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.66 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to Mishawaka?

The nearest major airport is MDW, about 82 mi away.

How Mishawaka scores

Each bar compares Mishawaka with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).

🏙️City size Small town Major metroSmall town
🏘️Urban or quiet Urban & suburban mix Dense & urbanQuiet / rural
🚶Getting around Some transit Walk & transitCar essential
🌲Culture or nature Culture & nature Culture & nightlifeNature on the doorstep
🌡️Climate Long, snowy winters Warm all yearLong, snowy winters
💰Cost of living Very affordable Very expensiveVery affordable
⏱️Pace Relaxed Very fast-pacedSlow & calm
🤝Community Some community feel AnonymousTight-knit community
🏡Housing Mostly apartments ApartmentsHouses with yards
🏷️Affordable housing Excellent
💸Low taxes Average
💼Job market Poor
🏥Healthcare Excellent
🎓Education Below average
🧸Kids & family Below average
🐕Dog-friendly Average
⛰️Outdoors Below average
🎭Culture Average
🛡️Safety No crime data (counted as average)
🌪️Few natural disasters Excellent
☀️Sunny Poor
🌤️Mild summers Excellent
✈️Airport Good

Places like Mishawaka

These places have the most similar overall profile across all 23 aspects.

Nearby

See all the best places to live in Indiana.

Is Mishawaka right for you?

Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.

Take the free quiz →

Sources: US Census ACS 2019–2023, Census State Tax Collections FY2025, Zillow 3-bedroom ZHVI, HUD Fair Market Rents, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, FBI 2019, FEMA National Risk Index v1.20, OpenFEMA disaster declarations, NOAA Normals 1991–2020, NASA POWER, CMS, NCES IPEDS 2023, IMLS, OpenStreetMap. How scores work.