$128,676Average Value$211Average Price per Sq Ft0Homes For Sale
Modest residential community on the south end of East Chicago
Life in East Chicago continues to be influenced by the city’s origins as a key Northwest Indiana industrial hub. From the early 20th century to today, homes and small businesses have stood mere blocks from large facilities like the Indiana Harbor steelmaking complex and U.S. Steel’s East Chicago Tin plant. Residents in Calumet, a neighborhood on the south end of town, know this contrast directly; remnants from the lead production factories that once occupied the neighborhood stayed in the soil for decades. Remediation efforts have been underway in recent years, with the ultimate goal of keeping the neighborhood as a sustainable working-class community in the greater Chicago area. “West Calumet had some challenges in probably the last decade, 10, 15 years,” says Nicholas Smith, a broker with the Nancy Frigo Team at Coldwell Banker Realty. “They had a historical lead issue, but that has been resolved. It’s starting to improve, it’s turning around.“ Smith grew up in East Chicago and has sold commercial properties and homes in Northwest Indiana for more than a decade.
Minimal traditional houses in Northwest Indiana
Traditionally styled single-family properties dominate the market here. Buyers can find brick bungalows with dormer windows, minimal traditional homes and Craftsman houses, many of which date back to the early 20th century. Selected duplexes and multi-unit homes round out the area’s selections. Home values generally range from about $70,000 to $200,000, with a median home value of about $100,000.Smith credits the city’s down payment assistance program as a major draw for buying homes in the city, Calumet included. “If you were to buy an existing home in East Chicago, you can get $10,000, and if you were to build a home in East Chicago, you can get $25,000,” he says. Qualification for the forgivable loans only requires attending a one-day class on home ownership, and city workers can qualify for an additional $5,000 through the same program.
Bungalow style homes are a popular housing style in Calumet.
Mid century craftsman style homes in Calumet make up a large portion of the housing stock.
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Environmental remediation in west Calumet
Most of the Calumet area, along with East Calumet, falls within the USS Lead Superfund site designated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 2009. Lead smelting facilities operated in the neighborhoods until the 1960s, leading to lead and arsenic contamination in the local soil. Remedial efforts from the EPA have included soil replacement, interior dust cleanings and groundwater monitoring. The agency is also overseeing cleanup and redevelopment efforts for the former West Calumet Housing Complex in the neighborhood, a public housing area that was demolished in 2018.
Get-togethers and play dates at Riley Park
Residents are less than a mile out from several of East Chicago’s main green spaces. “Riley Park has […] a decent-sized banquet facility, so people have family reunions and different events,” Smith says. Everyday amenities at the park include a playground, basketball courts and an open meadow. To the north, Washington Park has a greenhouse with plants for sale during spring and summer, alongside walking trails and a sand volleyball court. East Chicago Central High School’s baseball team, the Cardinals, plays at Block Stadium nearby.
Riley Park has an outdoor gym where you can lift your own weight in Calumet.
Washington Park features educational greenhouses for kids of Calumet.
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Soul food and southwestern fare in East Chicago
Soulful selections like pot roast, fried catfish and collard greens are fixtures on the rotating menu at Nadiya’s Kitchen, an upstart restaurant on the corner of Alexander Avenue and 149th Street. On the north side, Taqueria Dos Hermanos is a mainstay for tacos, burritos and other Southwestern fare on East Chicago Avenue. Additional dining options like Millo’s Pizzeria are west of the neighborhood, where locals can also find grocery stores like Strack & Van Til and La Mexicana.
Nadiya’s Kitchen is located conveniently in Calumet and serves delicious soul food.
For groceries, residents of Calumet can go to the conveniently located Strack & Van Til.
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Activities and learning at East Chicago Central High
The area’s youngest students attend William McKinley Elementary School, which has a 15:1 student-teacher ratio and a C-minus grade on Niche. Joseph L. Block Middle School also holds a C-minus grade. East Chicago Central High School offers more than 40 extracurricular and athletic programs and holds a C grade on Niche.
William Mckinley Elementary is an elementary school near Calumet.
Calumet residents can send their children to Block Middle School.
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Calumet Day Weekend celebrations in the summer
Each July, Calumet Day Weekend brings East Chicago residents to Riley Park to celebrate its unique community. The festivities generally include a parade, musical performances and booths from local businesses; the event has been an annual tradition in town for more than 30 years.
Families head to Big Marsh Park on Polar Adventure Day to experience the outdoors during wintertime. Husky teams on sleds and live music entertain while people enjoy making a winter-inspired craft and hot cocoa.
Live DJs, jazz ensembles and sporting event parties are frequent programming at the Ameristar East Chicago casino, about 4 miles northeast of the neighborhood near the shores of Lake Michigan.
Calumet families can meet and pet a real sled dog at Polar Adventure Day.
Ameristar Casino is a huge entertainment center conveniently located nearby Calumet.
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Commutes via Interstate 90 or the South Shore Line
East Chicago Avenue is Calumet’s primary connection to the rest of the city; locals can use the thoroughfare to connect to major roads like Indianapolis Boulevard, Interstate 90 and U.S. Route 12. Locals headed northwest to Chicago can expect a 23-mile commute to reach the downtown Loop; for an alternate option, the South Shore Line train connects residents to the Windy City from the East Chicago train station, 2 miles southeast of the neighborhood. “I used to take the train because I worked at the University of Chicago,” Smith says. For medical emergencies, St. Catherine Hospital is about 1 mile northeast of the neighborhood. Residents traveling beyond Northwest Indiana and Chicagoland can catch flights from Chicago Midway International Airport, about 23 miles northwest of the neighborhood.
GreatSchools:
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
View GreatSchools Rating Methodology
Interested in learning more about homes in this area?
Reach out to
Anna Steuer,
an experienced agent in this neighborhood.
Transit
Airport
Chicago Midway International
40 min drive
Crime and Safety
1 - Low Crime, 10 - High Crime
Calumet
US
Homicide
6
4
Sexual Assault
4
4
Assault with Weapon
5
4
Robbery
4
4
Burglary
4
4
Motor Vehicle Theft
4
4
Larceny
3
4
Crime Score
4
4
Source: WhatIsMyCrimeRisk.com
Calumet Demographics and Home Trends
On average, homes in Calumet, East Chicago sell after 6 days on the market compared to the national average of 70 days. The median sale price for homes in Calumet, East Chicago over the last 12 months is $549,900, up 67% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
Whatever you vision, this home provides multiple opportunities for the new owner. Whether it's a single-family home with related living, live on one level and rent the other or a multi-unit rental, the possibilities are there. Furnace is just one year old, new entry doors with entrances at the front, side and rear. Lower level includes a kitchen, full bath, living room and 2 bedrooms, main
THE UPDATED & READY TO MOVE IN HOUSE YOU HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR! Beautiful One Level 3 Bedroom/2 Bath UPDATED RANCH HOME with Garage & Basement! The entire house and basement has been freshly painted white! Ready to move in and decorate! You'll love the 15'x7' SUNROOM with big bright windows & oak Laminate floor. LIVING-DINING RM COMBO with Oak Laminate flooring and Ceiling Fan w/remote.
SELLER SAYS LET'S MAKE A DEAL!!!!! Awesome opportunity to own this 4-unit property in East Chicago! Property has two generously sized 3br units, two 1br units and a detached 1 car garage that can be converted back for two cars. This one is a fixer upper but it has a ton of potential. It would be a great candidate for an FHA 203(K) loan or any other renovation loan for an owner occupant or
Interested in learning more about homes in this area?
Reach out to
Anna Steuer,
an experienced agent in this neighborhood.
Average Home Value
Source: Public Records
Property Mix - Square Feet
This Neighborhood Has More Renters
Demographics
Total Population
1,087
Median Age
40
Population under 18
25.9%
On par with the national average
23.8%
Population over 65
21%
On par with the national average
19.1%
Finances
Median Household Income
$38,172
Significantly below the national average
$71,702
Average Household Income
$54,097
Education and Workforce
High School Graduates
77.1%
Below the national average
89.1%
College Graduates
8%
Significantly below the national average
34.1%
Advanced Degrees
4.2%
% Population in Labor Force
63.5%
Weather
Annual Precipitation
41''
Average Winter Low Temperature
16°F
Average Summer High Temperature
83°F
Annual Snowfall
6''
Area Factors
Somewhat Bikeable
Bike Score®
34/ 100
Car-Dependent
Walk Score®
28/ 100
Source: Walk Score
Source: Walk Score
Sound Score® measures the noise level of any address. Transit Score® measures access to public transit. Bike Score® measures the bikeability of any address.
Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
