The South Bend metro is home to 324,180 people (up 1.1% over five years), with a median household income of $65,385. Typical rent of $1,258/month works out to 23.1% of the median household income — comfortably below the 30% affordability threshold (Census ACS + Zillow, September 2026).
The share of South Bend's workforce by sector — the base of tenant demand:
| Sector | % of workforce |
|---|---|
| Education & health care | 27.8% |
| Manufacturing | 18.0% |
| Retail trade | 10.4% |
| Professional & management | 8.5% |
| Arts, food & hospitality | 7.6% |
Education & health care is the metro's largest employment base — sectors like education and health care are recession-resilient anchors for rental demand.
Rents at 23.1% of median income leave room for rent growth without pricing out the median tenant. Market pricing, yields and the Star Score live on the South Bend market page; run a deal in the calculator.
At the 30%-of-income affordability rule, typical rent of $1,258/month suggests a household income around $50,000/year. The metro's median household income is $65,385.
By workforce share: Education & health care (27.8%), Manufacturing (18.0%), Retail trade (10.4%) (Census ACS 5-year).