Lake County, IN

Within the selected direct-evidence set, Zillow’s latest ZIP ZORI—a typical observed asking-rent index—ranges from $1,019 to $1,795, a $776 spread, and has a $1,438 median. This is close to Lake County’s Zillow ZORI of $1,465, but the range makes a countywide figure an incomplete screen for a unit search or pricing review. The decision question is whether a lower-index ZIP meets the household’s actual criteria after listing checks, not whether it is simply cheap. At the endpoints, 46312 recorded 9.1% annual ZORI growth and 46307 1.3%; the index is a market measure, not a promise that an available unit will follow that path.

The measures should not be merged. ACS 2024 five-year ZCTA median gross rent, a survey estimate rather than a current asking-rent series, ranges from $854 to $1,391 in this set; the county ACS value is $1,131. Separately, the packet reports an FY2026 HUD two-bedroom standard of $1,781 for every displayed ZIP and a county two-bedroom FMR of $1,317. ZIP ZORI equals 57.2% to 100.8% of the displayed ZIP HUD figure; at the upper endpoint, it exceeds that figure by $14. This is a reference-point calculation, not a conversion among HUD administrative standards, ACS paid gross rents, and Zillow’s observed asking-rent index.

Affordability pressure and availability require separate ACS checks. The ZCTA share of renter households paying at least 30% of income for rent runs from 35.9% to 55.9%, so burden is material even in the lower-burden portion of the set. ZCTA vacancy is much more dispersed, from 2.9% to 40.3%, versus 10.3% countywide. A vacancy rate is a stock condition, not proof that a suitable unit is listed, that a concession is offered, or that tenant costs are lower; a low rate is likewise not a property-quality measure. Use a two-track screen: confirm availability first, then assess the unit’s all-in monthly cost and applicant-specific affordability. These statistics do not establish a causal relationship.

Coverage and geography limit precision. The table presents 12 of 18 eligible direct-ZORI matches, covering 38,646 renter households, rather than a full county or local-market inventory. ACS results here use ZCTA approximations, whereas USPS mailing ZIPs use delivery geography and their footprints can diverge. Each ZIP is displayed with the county receiving the largest HUD residential-address share; that share ranges from 95.1% to full assignment among these entries, so a small portion of some ZIPs can still lie elsewhere. Before a property decision, verify the exact address, bedroom count, current advertised rent, included utilities and fees, lease term, physical availability, applicant requirements, and whether the applicable HUD standard fits the unit.