Valparaiso, IN — Momentum Score, Home Values & Best-For

All states·Indiana·Valparaiso

Porter County · Chicago-Naperville-Elgin · population 35,065

Valparaiso, IN
Image: Wikipedia · Valparaiso, Indiana
OverviewCost of livingMoving guide
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68
Rising
Momentum score · 0–100

Where Valparaiso stands

At or near all-time high.

Median home $359,824
1-year +2.2%
5-yr CAGR +5.0%
vs 5-yr peak +0.0%
Population +0.7%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly
peak 2026-04$360k$191k$252k$313k$374k201620182020202220242026

Lifestyle scores

🚶
Walkability
32/100
Very car-dependent
Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.
🚉
Public transit
22/100
Transit limited
Curated list of major US transit systems + population-based estimate. Higher = real subway/rail/bus options.
💻
Remote work fit
88/100
Excellent for remote work
Composite of city size, housing cost, state tax structure, and region's remote-work track record.

Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.

Rent trajectory · last 5 years

Zillow ZORI · monthly
$1,546/mo$1,184$1,417$1,649202220242026

Home value vs rent · indexed to 100

Both rebased at first month of ZORI data (~2015)
Home valueRent118123100120202220242026

Rent vs buy

Price-to-rent ratio: 19.4
Lean buy

At a 19.4 price-to-rent ratio, Valparaiso is in the 'depends on horizon' zone. Buy if you'll be there 5+ years and value flexibility on the home; rent if you might move, want zero maintenance friction, or expect rates to drop.

How the momentum score breaks down

methodology →
Home YoY
61 · w22%
Home 5-yr CAGR
65 · w22%
Distance from peak
90 · w18%
Population growth
58 · w16%
Rent YoY
68 · w12%
Home 10-yr CAGR
66 · w10%
Long thesis

Valparaiso is a Rust Belt market with +0.7% population growth — a rare combination. You're buying real housing for less than the cost of a coastal studio in a city the data says is finally turning.

Short thesis

Valparaiso's bear case is the boring one: the cycle is real and any market that's run hard can stall. Watch for slowing population growth, rising days-on-market, or builder discounts as the early warning signals.

About Valparaiso

Valparaiso is a city in Porter County, Indiana, with an estimated population of 35,065. It anchors the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin metro area. The population grew 0.7% annually from 2020 to 2024, a moderate gain. The median home value in Valparaiso is $359,824 as of 2026-04, up 2.2% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +5.0% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. Rents in Valparaiso average $1,546 per month, up 3.5% year-over-year. The composite momentum score is 68 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.

▲ Bull case

●Quiet strength: +2.2% over the trailing year — not a melt-up, but the market is bid.
●Held the highs: currently +0.0% from the 5-year peak — this market refused to give back gains.

▼ Bear case

○Local nuance: city-level data smooths over neighborhood differences. School zones, HOA rules, and street-level character matter — visit before deciding.

About Valparaiso (Wikipedia)

Valparaiso, colloquially Valpo, is a city in and the county seat of Porter County, Indiana, United States. The population was 34,151 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Chicago metropolitan area.

Source: Wikipedia · this summary is contributed and licensed under CC-BY-SA.

Playbook

Buyer

You're not in a frenzy but you're not getting bargains either. Make a competitive offer with normal inspection terms. Don't lowball — the listing will move with or without you.

Seller

Price at fair market value; expect movement in 30-45 days. Don't get clever with terms (rent-back, contingencies) — buyers in a Rising market have options.

Investor

Appreciation tailwind exists but cash flow requires discipline on price. Run the numbers conservatively and confirm rent comps before committing.

Local safety & alerts

No active National Weather Service alerts for Porter County right now.

NWS active alerts (IN)Indiana Emergency ManagementHow to prepare (NWS)

Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. Porter County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.

Neighborhoods of Valparaiso

6 tracked · ranked by median home value
1Shorewood Forest$559,725+1.1%
2Aberdeen$462,614-0.2%
3Sylvan Manor$427,422+2.5%
4Lincoln Hills$366,053+0.8%
5Salt Creek Commons$245,841+1.0%
6South Haven$226,102+1.0%

Cities like Valparaiso

Bloomington, IN66 · RisingChesterton, IN67 · RisingSchererville, IN64 · RisingCrown Point, IN66 · Rising

Run the numbers for Valparaiso

ToolCan I afford Valparaiso?Income → city shortlistToolROI on a Valparaiso rentalCap rate, cash-on-cash, DSCRToolCompare Valparaiso to anywhereSide-by-side up to 3 citiesToolValparaiso cost-of-livingEquivalent income elsewhere

Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.

Climate & natural-disaster risk

Winter (Jan)
35° / 19°
avg high / low
Summer (Jul)
85° / 64°
avg high / low
Sunny days/yr
186
~51% of year
Annual precip
42″ rain
20″ snow
Disaster risk (1=very low, 5=very high)
Hurricane
Very low
Tornado
High
Wildfire
Very low
Earthquake
Low
Flood
Moderate

State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.

Local sports teams

Major professional teams the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.

Current weather

Loading current conditions…

7-day forecast on weather.gov →

Find rentals & listings

Open current Valparaiso listings on the major real-estate sites.

Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.

Local news & community

Updated 2026-05-21 from Google News + Reddit RSS. Headlines link to original sources.

Local economy & environment

Humidity
72%
Humid climate
Median household income
$67,200
Indiana state median
Top industries (state-level)
Manufacturing (auto)HealthcareLogistics

Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.

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