Midtown is home to the most famous residence in Gary, Indiana, the childhood home of the Jackson 5, a popular tourist destination for fans of the King of Pop. The surrounding community has a history of its own tied to steel production. Today, investment is driving change in Midtown. “Gary may be one of the most undervalued areas in the country. A lot of investors have done tremendous jobs of flipping houses out here,” says Mark Keene, a managing broker at BS Realty Services Indiana. Keene was born and raised in the northwest Indiana and has sold homes in Gary and Lake County since 2018. Further, government programs are funding park renovations and addressing public school performance.
Move-in-ready homes and fixer uppers
Single-family homes make up most of the housing stock of Midtown with early 20th century ranch and bungalow-style architecture being the most common. The two and three-bedroom homes are in various conditions with some requiring significant repair and renovation and others more move-in ready. A few split-level homes are also present. Prices range from $7,000 to $70,000 for properties in need of investment to $195,000 for turnkey homes.
Multi-family properties are rarer, often including larger homes converted into two or three units and a few dedicated units. These sell from about $17,000 to $170,000.
Midtown has many brick bungalows that are great investments properties.
Midtown has many cottages in various states of condition.
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STEM learning opportunities at Beveridge Elementary
Students in Midtown generally attend the Gary Community School Corporation. Due to financial issues, the state of Indiana assumed direct leadership of the school from 2017 to 2024. The state transferred control back to the district for the 2024-2025 school year.
Beveridge Elementary School offers a STEM-focused curriculum and a mentorship program in cooperation with employees at U.S. Steel. Niche grades the school a D, while Gary Middle School earns a D-plus. At West Side Leadership Academy, students can enroll in dual-credit and Advanced Placement courses. The school earns a C-minus grade.
Additional options for education include the 21st Century Charter School, on Washington Street which earns a C-plus grade.
Beveridge Elementary School Offers a Rigorous Curriculum for K-6 Students
Gary Middle School provides education in the neighborhood of
Miller
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Revitalized amenities at Roosevelt Park and Ironwood Park
Close to the former Roosevelt High School campus, Roosevelt Park is one of the area’s key outdoor areas. Visitors play pickup basketball on its two courts. The park's three ball fields received irrigation systems in 2024. It is one of several Gary parks included in the city’s “Jewel Park” modernization program, and plans include an outdoor roller rink. On the neighborhood’s southeast side, Ironwood Park has a picnic area with an open field. The city plans to update the park’s playground with sensory-friendly equipment for children with disabilities.
Midtown Gary features a number of good spots like Ironwood Park.
Roosevelt Park has a baseball field.
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Cajun dining, breakfast and groceries on Broadway
Most of Midtown’s dining and shopping options are along Broadway at the center of town. Save More Foods has groceries and everyday needs. On the neighborhood’s east side, Carolina Meat Locker & Grocery and Sam’s Market have a butcher and more groceries options. Dollar General and Family Dollar are nearby as is a CVS near Broadway and 13th Street.
J’s Breakfast Club is open for brunch service six days a week and serves chicken and waffles as well as grits with shrimp or catfish. Lo’Shell’s Cajun and Creole Flavors specializes in Louisiana-style soul food, including gumbo, jambalaya and other New Orleans faves. Fast food options on Broadway include Chicago favorite Sharks Fish & Chicken alongside chains like White Castle and Church’s Texas Chicken.
Midtown has many common neighborhood staples like Dollar General.
Midtown has a CVS Pharmacy that is very popular for everyday needs.
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Breakfast gatherings and ball games in Gary
Special events at J’s Breakfast Club include the weekly Saturday Small Business Spotlights where local business owners share meet with restaurant guests, and Silver Mondays, which have specialized topics for older adults.
North of the neighborhood in downtown Gary, the city’s resident baseball team, the Gary SouthShore RailCats, plays at the U.S. Steel Yard ballpark. Situated along the south shore of Lake Michigan, Marquette Park hosts events like the annual Superheroes and Princesses Brunch, where families are encouraged to bring the kids to meet their favorite characters with activities and food from local vendors.
Midtown residents are known to frequent J's Breakfast Club.
Midtown Gary residents can catch a game at the local Railcats Stadium.
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31 miles to the Chicago Loop
Broadway runs north-south down the middle of the neighborhood and connects to Gary and outlying areas. Interstate 94 is a major highway defining the south end of the area. The neighborhood is about 1 mile south of downtown Gary and 31 miles southeast of Chicago.
The area’s nearest emergency room is at Methodist Hospitals Northlake Campus, about 2 miles northwest near Grant Street. Residents traveling out of the northwest Indiana area will have to head up to the Windy City to catch flights; Chicago Midway International Airport is about 30 miles northwest of the neighborhood.
Crime
Midtown’s overall CAP Index crime score is 5, higher than the national average of 4. However, it scores significantly higher than the national average for violent crimes. The Gary Police Department established the Real-Time Crime Center in 2023 to use technology and community collaboration to help residents contribute to violence reduction efforts.
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
On average, homes in Midtown, Gary sell after 56 days on the market compared to the national average of 52 days. The median sale price for homes in Midtown, Gary over the last 12 months is $50,000, up 28% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
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