Jobs, pay and daily life in South Bend, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
South Bend is a city in Indiana with 103,085 residents. The median household earns $55,786 a year and the median rent is $1,033 a month, which is 22.2% of the median household income. It is part of the South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI metropolitan area, where BLS counts 131,670 jobs.
How South Bend compares. Among the 80 largest places in Indiana, South Bend is #4 by population, #25 for long commutes (#1 = fewest), #55 for homeownership (#1 = highest), #53 for household income (#1 = highest). Its county, Saint Joseph County, is #14 of 92 counties for average pay ($59,303).
South Bend has 103,085 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 1.5% of the population of Indiana. It covers 42 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 2,461 people per square mile. The median age is 34.8, 9% younger than the state median (34.8 against 38.1).
The median gross rent is $1,033 a month (rent plus utilities), about the same as the state median ($1,033 against $1,062). Over a year that is 22.2% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $140,400, which is 2.5 times the median household income ($55,786); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 60.2% of households own their home, 15% below the state average (60.2% against 70.5%).
The South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI metropolitan area has 131,670 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $46,540 a year, 9% below the national median ($46,540 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are office and administrative support (14,720 jobs, median $44,260); food preparation and serving related (12,500 jobs, median $29,220); transportation and material moving (12,060 jobs, median $40,240). The area is most specialised in production (1.5 times) and educational instruction and library (1.3 times), where the share of workers is above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are management ($101,480) and healthcare practitioners and technical ($80,720). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Saint Joseph County was 4.0%. 62.6% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Saint Joseph County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 71.1% drive alone, 1.6% use public transit, 2.2% walk, 11.2% work from home. 7.6% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 40% below the state average (7.6% against 12.7%).
29.3% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, about the same as the state share (29.3% against 29.5%). 8.5% of residents were born outside the United States, 35% above the state share (8.5% against 6.3%). The poverty rate is 20.8%, 69% above the state rate (20.8% against 12.3%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 74°F (23.1°C), and the coolest is Jan at 25°F (-4.1°C). About 993 mm (39 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; May is the wettest month (112 mm) and Feb the driest (58 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Mishawaka (5 miles, rent 4% higher); Granger (8 miles, rent 60% higher); Niles (11 miles, rent 17% lower); Elkhart (16 miles, rent 3% lower). Rent differences are against South Bend; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Indiana (770) →State guide: IndianaCountry guideSaint Joseph CountyIndiana rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 770 federal postings open in Indiana (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in Indiana →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 4,240 | 1.30 | $28,140 | $21,810 | $34,630 | -10% |
| Retail Salespersons | 4,000 | 1.21 | $30,930 | $23,790 | $45,810 | -13% |
| Registered Nurses | 3,370 | 1.18 | $93,540 | $66,870 | $141,390 | -4% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 3,240 | 0.89 | $34,790 | $28,720 | $37,670 | -3% |
| Cashiers | 2,820 | 1.08 | $28,970 | $22,760 | $36,240 | -12% |
| Office Clerks, General | 2,770 | 1.33 | $41,590 | $24,090 | $60,490 | -8% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 2,660 | 1.07 | $38,830 | $30,870 | $53,460 | -4% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 2,580 | 1.08 | $36,780 | $28,890 | $43,990 | -1% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 2,140 | 1.14 | $35,820 | $29,260 | $46,280 | -3% |
| General and Operations Managers | 2,070 | 0.70 | $104,500 | $51,780 | $239,040 | -1% |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 1,980 | 1.66 | $38,700 | $31,410 | $50,670 | -13% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 1,970 | 1.02 | $28,740 | $17,480 | $49,190 | -18% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 1,870 | 0.85 | $40,420 | $30,560 | $60,660 | -10% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 1,840 | 1.06 | $56,820 | $39,720 | $74,410 | -3% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 1,620 | 1.25 | $47,950 | $35,190 | $67,790 | -3% |
| Nursing Assistants | 1,520 | 1.24 | $38,550 | $34,590 | $47,220 | -9% |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products | 1,340 | 1.28 | $66,230 | $37,690 | $136,000 | -8% |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | 1,320 | 1.10 | $36,060 | $28,620 | $45,860 | -2% |
| Cooks, Restaurant | 1,300 | 1.09 | $34,650 | $25,960 | $44,190 | -7% |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 1,220 | 1.04 | $58,180 | $47,660 | $76,890 | -9% |
These figures are for the whole South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $46,540 (US $50,980); unemployment 4.1% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 27.2% |
| Manufacturing | 15.8% |
| Retail trade | 10.8% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 9.5% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 8.5% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 6.2% |
| Construction | 5.3% |
| Other services | 4.8% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 3.7% |
| Wholesale trade | 3.2% |
| Public administration | 3.0% |
| Information | 1.6% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.3% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where South Bend lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saint Joseph County | 273,040 | $19,493 million | $71,394 | 121,043 | 6,539 | $59,303 | +0.1% | 4.0% | 130,967 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 23,097 | 21.2% | $62,191 | 1.33 |
| Retail trade | 13,316 | 12.2% | $36,635 | 1.10 |
| Manufacturing | 13,078 | 12.0% | $68,948 | 1.32 |
| Accommodation and food services | 11,246 | 10.3% | $23,423 | 1.02 |
| Educational services | 8,857 | 8.1% | $93,841 | 3.54 |
| Wholesale trade | 5,641 | 5.2% | $77,516 | 1.18 |
| Construction | 5,631 | 5.2% | $73,941 | 0.89 |
| Administrative and waste services | 5,029 | 4.6% | $43,662 | 0.71 |
| Professional and technical services | 4,936 | 4.5% | $81,951 | 0.59 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 3,917 | 3.6% | $47,991 | 1.07 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 3,823 | 3.5% | $55,471 | 0.75 |
| Finance and insurance | 3,500 | 3.2% | $89,911 | 0.71 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 2,708 | 2.5% | $34,196 | 1.33 |
| Real estate and rental | 1,727 | 1.6% | $57,588 | 0.92 |
| Information | 1,253 | 1.2% | $73,606 | 0.55 |
| Management of companies | 871 | 0.8% | $110,998 | 0.43 |
| Utilities | 201 | 0.2% | $115,459 | 0.44 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 71.1% |
| Public transit | 1.6% |
| Walk | 2.2% |
| Work from home | 11.2% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 7.6% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $55,786 |
| Income per person | $30,791 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,033 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 22.2% |
| Median home value | $140,400 |
| Homeowners | 60.2% |
| Poverty rate | 20.8% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 92.9 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $46,540 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Flat 2.95%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 34.8 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 87.8% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 29.3% |
| Born abroad | 8.5% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 62.6% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -4.1 | 25 | 62 |
| Feb | -3.0 | 27 | 58 |
| Mar | 2.8 | 37 | 63 |
| Apr | 9.2 | 49 | 88 |
| May | 15.3 | 60 | 112 |
| Jun | 20.7 | 69 | 98 |
| Jul | 23.1 | 74 | 100 |
| Aug | 22.4 | 72 | 107 |
| Sep | 18.6 | 65 | 80 |
| Oct | 11.3 | 52 | 95 |
| Nov | 4.5 | 40 | 69 |
| Dec | -1.3 | 30 | 61 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mishawaka | IN | 5 mi | 51,021 | $54,291 | $1,070 |
| Granger | IN | 8 mi | 30,321 | $123,318 | $1,656 |
| Niles | MI | 11 mi | 11,803 | $51,376 | $855 |
| Elkhart | IN | 16 mi | 53,733 | $51,028 | $998 |
| La Porte | IN | 23 mi | 22,449 | $59,307 | $948 |
| Goshen | IN | 24 mi | 34,420 | $59,184 | $1,093 |
| Michigan City | IN | 31 mi | 31,814 | $53,089 | $967 |
| Warsaw | IN | 37 mi | 16,768 | $61,035 | $1,066 |
| Chesterton | IN | 41 mi | 14,446 | $91,060 | $1,274 |
| Valparaiso | IN | 43 mi | 34,733 | $69,872 | $1,224 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
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vs
103,085 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,033 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 22.2% of the median household income.
$55,786 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
4.0% (BLS county, Saint Joseph County (latest month 2026M09)).
Indiana. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.