City profile · Indiana · Census ACS 2023

Schaefer Lake, IN

Schaefer Lake's Census ACS profile: residents, income, housing, and the joined public-record layers available for this place.

245
Residents
$177,632
Median income
$265,800
Median home
$1,096
Median rent (state)
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Side-by-side metrics and state or size-class ranks use the same Census and FBI fields shown on this profile. Results stay in the URL so you can bookmark or share them.

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See how it ranks

State rank, size-class rank, and four peer cities for Schaefer Lake.

Place dossier plate

Sheet IN-SCHAEFER-LAKE-IN · Schaefer Lake, IN 245 pop · income 97th pct

POP-VILLAGE · INC-TOP · COL-BELOW · SAFE-UNK · RANK-TOP · PHOTO-FINISH · HOME-MID · BOOK-UNK

  • POP-VILLAGE 245
  • INC-TOP $177,632
  • COL-BELOW 93.3
  • SAFE-UNK Safety pending
  • RANK-TOP 97th
  • PHOTO-FINISH ≈ Ottawa Hills
  • HOME-MID $265,800
  • BOOK-UNK Tracts pending

Nearest income peer: Ottawa Hills, OH (+ $24 income $)

Instrument codes from this place’s ACS population and household income, BEA state COL, FBI safety, national income percentile, photo-finish peer city, home-value band, and matched Census-tract book - not a moving recommendation.

Income neighbourhood around Schaefer Lake

Lowest/highest poles plus peers nearest Schaefer Lake on median household income. Full ladder: /browse and /rankings.

median HH income

What this shows Neighbourhood peers only - not a full nationwide city board. Open a near peer when the gap is small; open the poles when the spread is wide.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2026-08-08

Compare beyond this state

Nationwide peers by population, income

Out-of-state nearest neighbors for Schaefer Lake on ACS population and median household income . Link sets are deduped so each column is a distinct comparison path, not a forecast that peers share a labor market or climate.

Similar population

Nearest out-of-state cities by ACS population. This city: 245.

4 peers

Similar household income

Nearest out-of-state cities by ACS median household income. This city: $177,632. Population peers are excluded.

4 peers

Schaefer Lake - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Schaefer Lake places in the 97th percentile for household income. Source: Census ACS.

97th
percentile, household income
59th
percentile, home value
27th
percentile, median rent
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Schaefer Lake, IN

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 245 residents in Schaefer Lake, a small town within Indiana. Households in Schaefer Lake report a median income of $177,632 per year, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 0.0%. Schaefer Lake's housing stock carries a median value of $265,800, and the median resident age is 63.2 years. About 47.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 43.3% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Living costs in Indiana run below the national norm: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Indiana at 93.3 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Below Average). A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,096 per month statewide. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Indiana run around $235, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Workers in Schaefer Lake report an average commute of 23.9 minutes, with 82.1% driving alone and 17.9% working from home. Natural-hazard exposure scores 45.5 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Low).

A decision-led reading path

Useful questions to ask of Schaefer Lake's data

How this reading path is ordered

This is not a composite city score. It is a city-specific route through the available public records, ordered for this profile so the page starts with questions the joined data can actually answer. The route here runs from housing and income to comparison shortlist to work and mobility; another city can have a different sequence or fewer supported layers because the source joins are not uniform.

For Schaefer Lake, city-specific coverage includes commute-mode shares. No matched row is reported here for matched public-school count, local building permits, annual population history, within-city Census tract profiles, FBI reported-crime rates; the page leaves those layers out instead of substituting a statewide or national value.

1. Housing and income

How far does income reach against housing in Schaefer Lake?

This is a citywide price-to-income reference, not a mortgage-affordability test; it does not include interest rates, taxes, insurance, household size, or an individual buyer's down payment. The ratio makes housing the clearest place to start this profile, but a low multiple can coexist with slow demand, older stock, or household-level hardship. Compare the home-value distribution and same-state peer table before treating it as an advantage.

The home-value-to-income reference is relatively compact: the ACS median home value is 1.5 times median household income. The ACS poverty estimate is 0.0%, which keeps the citywide median from describing every household.

Compare the housing trade-off →

2. Comparison shortlist

Which cities make useful reference points for Schaefer Lake?

Use the in-state set to hold state policy and broad price conditions more nearly constant. Use the nationwide size set to ask whether cities with a similar resident count produce different housing, income, or commute outcomes. The income set is a third lens, deliberately separate from population matching.

Within Indiana, the closest population matches are Laotto (245 residents, $118,500 income); Cedar Grove (244 residents, $60,625 income); Kingsbury (244 residents, $71,250 income). Outside the state, the closest population matches in this dataset are Pineville, AR (245 residents); Scranton, AR (245 residents); Franklin CDP (Sacramento County), CA (245 residents). A third, income-matched reference set of 6 out-of-state cities sits in the income neighbourhood chart near the Place Dossier plate. These are mechanical peer sets, not claims that the places share a labor market, climate, culture, or metro context.

Open a side-by-side comparison →

Question 3

What does the journey to work look like in Schaefer Lake?

Driving alone is the largest reported mode at 82.1%. The reported mean trip to work is 23.9 minutes.

Mode share answers how workers usually travel; it does not measure congestion, reliability, distance to a particular job, or the quality of transit service. Remote work has a visible role in the local pattern. That can reduce commute exposure for some workers, but it says nothing about job availability or broadband quality; read it alongside income and housing rather than as a stand-alone lifestyle score.

Compare commute patterns →

Population

245 residents

Micro place (under 10k)

Median Household Income

$177,632 /yr

Top-decile income · poverty 0.0% (Very low poverty)

Cost of Living Index (state)

93.3 (US=100)

Near national cost · BEA RPP 2024, Indiana average

City profile score · Schaefer Lake, IN

89/100

4 published dimensions · ACS/FBI 2023

Comparative score against U.S. cities with population of 1,000 or more on Census ACS medians (income, poverty, bachelor's share, cost of living) and FBI UCR violent-crime rates when published. Higher means a stronger standing on those published figures, not a livability rating, not a recommendation to move, buy, or pick a "best" city. Missing inputs drop out and redistribute weight. How it is calculated.

Household income A+
$177,632

Median household income vs U.S. cities (pop ≥1,000); ACS.

Poverty rate A+
0.0%

Share of residents below the poverty line; lower scores better on this axis.

Bachelor's+ share A-
47.1%

Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher; ACS.

Cost of living B
93.3 index

BEA state Regional Price Parities index (100 ≈ national average); lower is stronger on this axis. Same value for every city in the state.

Violent crime N/A
N/A

No FBI UCR violent-crime rate for this place (coverage is incomplete).

Schaefer Lake profile (scored ACS/FBI dimensions) 4-axis radar comparing 1 series across Household income, Poverty rate, Bachelor's+ share, Cost of living. Household incomePoverty rateBachelor's+ shareCost of living 89 A
Schaefer Lake profile (scored ACS/FBI dimensions)
Read the chart values
  • Household income: 100/100 (A+) · $177,632
  • Poverty rate: 100/100 (A+) · 0.0%
  • Bachelor's+ share: 81/100 (A-) · 47.1%
  • Cost of living: 72/100 (B) · 93.3 index

How does Schaefer Lake compare to other US cities?

Here's how Schaefer Lake stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 97% higher than other cities
Home value 59% pricier than other cities
Median rent 27% pricier than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Schaefer Lake against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Indiana only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Indiana-relative analysis

Median Gross Rent places Schaefer Lake near the bottom of Indiana's cities

Among the 850 Indiana cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Schaefer Lake ranks #1 - the 0th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Schaefer Lake only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#6 of 766
99th percentile in Indiana
Median Gross Rent
#1 of 850
0th percentile in Indiana
Median Home Value
#73 of 771
91st percentile in Indiana
Poverty Rate
#638 of 849
0th percentile in Indiana
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#51 of 850
94th percentile in Indiana
How in-state ranks are ordered

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Indiana only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

97thIncome percentile
Gauge source note

97th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Schaefer Lake's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$265,800 41st percentile more affordable than 41% of 15,600 US cities

Show national distribution $0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). This entry sits in this band. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Schaefer Lake $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Schaefer Lake's home-value-to-income ratio: 1.5×

ACS median home value divided by median household income.

Band
affordable
< 3.0×
National rank
#385 of 15,516
More affordable than 98% of tracked cities (pop. 1,000+)
Size class
#379 of 11,323
Micro cities (under 10,000)

At 1.5×, Schaefer Lake sits in the affordable band: national rank #385 of 15,516 and #379 of 11,323micro cities (under 10,000). The multiple is comparatively compact among tracked cities, but a low ratio can still coexist with slow demand or household-level hardship.

How this ratio is calculated

Ratio = Census ACS 2023 median home value ÷ median household income for cities with both fields and population ≥ 1,000. Rank 1 = lowest ratio (most compact). Bands match the fleet affordability thresholds used on guides (<3.0 / 3.0–5.0 / >5.0). This is not a mortgage payment estimate and does not include rates, taxes, insurance, or down payment.

Income distribution context

$177,632 Schaefer Lake, IN median household income (Census ACS)

Show U.S. national quintile / Lorenz context Household income distribution - Schaefer Lake, IN Schaefer Lake, IN's median household income ($177,632) against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern. The Lorenz curve and quintile bars are national context, not Schaefer Lake, IN-specific shares. $ Household Income Distribution Schaefer Lake, IN median $177,632/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Schaefer Lake, IN median household income (Census ACS 5-year) with U.S. national quintile shares for context. Diagonal = equality; the curve is national, not computed for Schaefer Lake, IN.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 47.1%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 0.0%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 43.3%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
245
Median Income
$177,632
Median Home Value
$265,800
Median Age
63.2
Poverty Rate
0.0%
Labor force participation
43.3%
Bachelor's Degree+
47.1%

Commute Patterns

Commute source

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
23.9 minutes
Drive Alone
82.1%
Carpool
0.0%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.0%
Work from Home
17.9%

Based on 106 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

Indiana statewide monthly utility average (EIA 2023): $235

EIA 2023 residential energy data puts average monthly utilities across Indiana at $235 (electricity about $110 , water and sewer about $45 ).

These are Indiana statewide averages, not a meter reading for Schaefer Lake. Actual bills vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Indiana's BEA cost-of-living index is 93.3 (Below Average; US average = 100, RPP 2024). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in the county around Schaefer Lake is $1,096/mo. FEMA's National Risk Index, averaged to Indiana statewide on PlainCities, rates natural-hazard exposure at 45.5 / 100 (Low).

Cost/risk geography note

Cost of living is a Indiana statewide BEA average; rent is a county-level HUD Fair Market Rent for the county Schaefer Lake sits in; the FEMA hazard score shown here is a statewide average of county NRI inputs, not a parcel-level reading.

How Schaefer Lake compares to similar-size Indiana cities

Same-state peer method

Closest same-state population matches, not geographic neighbors. Population + median household income come from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 and B19013.

City Population Median Household Income
Schaefer Lake (this city) 245 $177,632
Laotto 245 $118,500
Cedar Grove 244 $60,625
Kingsbury 244 $71,250
Primary sources on this page

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES. Joins use OMB Bulletin 23-01 / FIPS keys.

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Estimate caveats

ACS and UCR figures are citywide estimates with vintage lags; they do not replace a local visit, school visit, or insurance quote.

Editorial standards, provenance, and how to cite this page

Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

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