Neighborhood · Merrillville, IN

Southmoor Park Eviction Risk: Lower

3 census tracts · pop 9,448 · pop-weighted Eviction Risk Score 3.8/10 · range 3.4–4.6

Southmoor Park is a black-white neighborhood in Merrillville with 3 census tracts and a population of 9,448 residents. The neighborhood's pop-weighted eviction-risk score of 3.8/10 (Lower tier) blends state law, county-level filing rates, parent-city politics, and tract-specific rent-to-income ratios + poverty. 48% of renters here pay at least 30% of household income on rent, and 25% are severely cost-burdened (≥50% of income). Average gross rent of $1,144/month sits 11% lower than the Merrillville citywide average ($1,282).

Risk score

3.8

Lower

3 tracts · population-weighted

Southmoor Park vs Merrillville How this neighborhood stacks against the citywide average

% of income on rent

47.8% +42%

Merrillville: 33.6%

Average gross rent

$1,144 -11%

Merrillville: $1,282

Average HH income

$59,838 -8%

Merrillville: $64,791

Poverty rate

12.3% -10%

Merrillville: 13.7%

Renter share

43.7% +48%

Merrillville: 29.5%

Peer neighborhoods

Neighborhoods with similar eviction risk

Same county, closest by Eviction Risk Score.

Geographic context

Risk heat across Southmoor Park and the region

Click any tract to drill in · 3 tracts span score 3.4–4.6

Why Southmoor Park scores 3.8

9 axes · pop-weighted · 1 = landlord-friendly

State political climate

legislature & governorship · Range 2.0–2.0 across tracts

2.0

Regional political climate

County-level mix · 2024 presidential margin · Range 5.8–5.8 across tracts

5.8

Local political climate

Parent city governance · Range 6.2–6.2 across tracts

6.2

Rent control risk

48% of income on rent · Range 7.6–7.6 across tracts

7.6

Eviction process difficulty

State notice requirements & court backlog · Range 1.9–1.9 across tracts

1.9

Tenant organizing strength

44% renter households · Range 6.8–6.8 across tracts

6.8

Housing court bias

County bench composition · Range 7.0–7.0 across tracts

7.0

Economic stress

12.3% below poverty line · Range 2.4–5.0 across tracts

3.1

Supply constraint

Rent-to-FMR gap & zoning friction · Range 1.0–9.1 across tracts

5.4

Risk score comparison

Southmoor Park vs. parent city, state, U.S.

Eviction Risk Score (0–10 scale).

Variance across tracts

How uniformly does eviction risk play out in Southmoor Park?

Left: distribution of constituent tract scores. Right: every tract as a heat square. Click any square to drill in.

Score distribution

0246810

Spread of 1.2 points from 3.4 to 4.6. Moderate variation across constituent tracts.

Tracts as heat grid

4.6 3.6 3.4

Each square = one census tract. Color tracks the same green→red ramp as the chloropleth map above.

Census tracts

3 tracts in Southmoor Park

Ranked highest-risk first. Click for per-tract detail.

Tract↕	Score↕	Pop↕	% over 30% on rent↕	Average rent↕
18089042404	4.6	2,331	68%	$1,206
18089042503	3.6	3,187	37%	$423
18089042509	3.4	3,930	45%	$1,693

Social Vulnerability Index

CDC SVI percentile: 70

Pop-weighted across 3 tracts. Higher = more vulnerable to disaster, displacement, and rent shocks. Source: CDC/ATSDR SVI 2022.

Socioeconomic status 54%ile

Poverty, unemployment, no-HS-diploma, housing cost burden

Household characteristics 64%ile

Single-parent HH, disability, language barriers, age 17- / 65+

Racial/ethnic minority 76%ile

Hispanic + non-white share of population

Housing & transport 77%ile

Multi-unit structures, mobile homes, crowding, no vehicle

CDC PLACES 2023 · pop-weighted

Eviction-adjacent indicators in Southmoor Park

Average across all constituent tracts, population-weighted. Source: CDC PLACES (cwsq-ngmh) crude prevalence.

14.0%Housing insecurity
11.0%Utility shutoff threat
19.0%Food insecurity
11.5%SNAP enrollment
9.0%No health insurance
32.3%Any disability

Frequently asked

About Southmoor Park

What is the eviction-risk score for Southmoor Park?

Southmoor Park scores 3.8/10 (Lower tier) across 3 census tracts. The pop-weighted Eviction Risk Score blends state law, county filing rates, parent-city politics, and tract-specific rent-to-income and poverty signals.

How does Southmoor Park compare to Merrillville overall?

Southmoor Park scores 1.1 points higher than Merrillville overall (2.7/10). Renters spend 48% of income on rent vs 34% citywide. Average rent: $1,144 vs $1,282.

What is the average rent in Southmoor Park?

Average gross rent in Southmoor Park is $1,144/month (pop-weighted across 3 census tracts, ACS 5-year 2023). 48% of renter households are cost-burdened.

What percentage of Southmoor Park residents are renters?

44% of Southmoor Park households are renter-occupied (vs 30% in Merrillville). The neighborhood has 9,448 residents.

Is Southmoor Park a high social-vulnerability area?

Southmoor Park sits in the 70th percentile nationally on the CDC Social Vulnerability Index (moderately vulnerable). The index combines poverty, unemployment, household composition, racial/ethnic minority share, and housing/transportation factors across all US census tracts.

Which tracts in Southmoor Park have the highest eviction risk?

The highest-risk constituent tract in Southmoor Park is census tract 18089042404 (score 4.6/10). Across the 3 tracts in this neighborhood the score ranges from 3.4 to 4.6, a spread of 1.2 points.

How safe is Southmoor Park for landlords?

Southmoor Park carries a lower-tier eviction-risk profile for landlords (3.8/10). Pop-weighted across 3 constituent tracts, the score blends parent-city rent-control posture, county eviction-process timelines, and tract-specific rent-to-income / poverty signals. Compared to Merrillville as a whole (2.7/10), this neighborhood is higher-risk.

What is the demographic breakdown of Southmoor Park?

Southmoor Park has 9,303 residents (Black-White Neighborhood). Top groups: Black (non-Hispanic) (42.4%), White (non-Hispanic) (37.8%), Hispanic / Latino (12%). Source: ACS 5-year 2023, table B03002.

Nearby

Other neighborhoods near Southmoor Park

3.5 Lottaville 2 tracts · pop 10,443 3.9 Lincoln Village 3 tracts · pop 13,427 2.9 Liberty Park 4 tracts · pop 12,980 5.5 Morningside 4 tracts · pop 10,788 2 Lake Hills 2 tracts · pop 10,824 1.5 Hawthorne Hills 2 tracts · pop 10,678

Sibling neighborhoods

Other neighborhoods inside Merrillville

Same parent city, ranked by score similarity to Southmoor Park.

3.9 Lincoln Village 3 tracts · pop 13,427 3.5 Lottaville 2 tracts · pop 10,443 3.3 Chapel Manor 1 tracts · pop 2,690

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