Retirement Communities in South Bend, Indiana

CaringScore for South Bend, IN

CaringScore was designed to help millions of Americans find the best places to retire, age in place, or receive eldercare. The CaringScore for retirement communities in South Bend was based on more than 50 factors in three key categories: health, cost, and livability. By compiling and analyzing this data, Caring.com is able to rate the quality of life you or a loved one might expect should you choose retirement communities in South Bend.

CaringScore can range from 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and provides a quick way to compare cities, counties, and even specific zip codes. With a CaringScore of 5.8, South Bend rates above average for those seeking retirement communities.

The charts below highlight a few of the factors we used to calculate the CaringScore for South Bend. Choose a category score to learn more.

Physicians Per Capita

Cost of Healthcare Index

Sunny Days Per Year

HealthScore for South Bend, IN

HealthScore, a component of the overall CaringScore for retirement communities in South Bend, rates a region on a scale of 1 (less healthful) to 10 (more healthful). It's specifically tailored to anyone looking for retirement communities. The HealthScore for South Bend is based on the availability of healthcare resources, air and water quality, the overall health of the local population, and other key factors. With a HealthScore of 6, South Bend rates above average for those seeking retirement communities.

Easy access to physicians -- especially geriatricians and other key specialists -- is important to older adults seeking retirement communities. At 240.6 physicians per capita, South Bend closely matches the national average. South Bend trails the national average in geriatricians per capita by 69.2 percent, with 0.4, and scores 17.4 percent better than the national average in specialists per capita, with 22.9. These medical specialists include cardiologists, oncologists, and orthopedists. The average life expectancy from birth in South Bend is 77.7 years -- on par with the rest of the country. Air quality in South Bend -- one factor in gauging the healthfulness of a region -- is 62.7 percent below average, and water quality -- another key measure of South Bend's environmental health -- trails the national average by 14.5 percent.

Doctors Per Capita	South Bend, IN	Nat'l Avg
Physicians	240.6	220.5
Geriatricians	0.4	1.3
Cardiologists	9	7.7
Oncologists	4.9	3.5
Orthopedists	8.6	7

Average Life Expectancy

CostScore for South Bend, IN

CostScore, part of the overall CaringScore for retirement communities in South Bend, rates the cost of living for older adults on a scale of 1 (more expensive) to 10 (less expensive). It's specifically tailored to people looking for retirement communities. The CostScore for South Bend is based on data such as the average monthly cost of retirement communities in the region, cost of living indices such as housing and healthcare, regional tax rates, and other key factors. With a CostScore of 7.8, the costs associated with retirement communities in South Bend are generally less expensive than the national average.

Because of the broad range of housing, service, and healthcare options available at retirement communities, no average monthly cost data is available for South Bend. The entry fee or purchase price for an independent living community can range from $50,000 to $500,000 or more, and typically requires an additional monthly service fee of $1,000 to $3,000 on average. The cost of living indices below provide the best proxy for comparing costs of retirement communities in South Bend to the rest of the country. Overall, the cost of living for South Bend indexes at 19.0 percent lower than the national average. Average healthcare costs are 3.0 percent cheaper than the national average, and the cost of housing is 51.0 percent less expensive than average.

Cost of Living	South Bend, IN
Aggregate Index	81
Healthcare Index	97
Housing Index	49
Food Index	90
Utilities Index	91
Transportation Index	94

Cost of Healthcare Index

LivabilityScore for South Bend, IN

LivabilityScore makes up part of the overall CaringScore for retirement communities in South Bend. On a scale of 1 (less livable) to 10 (more livable), it's a rating of the quality of life in a region, specifically tailored to those looking for retirement communities. The LivabilityScore for South Bend is based on weather, crime rates, economic factors, average age of the population, and other key demographics. With a LivabilityScore of 2.6, South Bend rates below average for retirement communities.

Weather is an important factor in choosing the best place for retirement communities. The sun shines an average of 172 days each year in South Bend, 16.1 percent fewer sunny days than the rest of the U.S. sees. With an average temperature of 17°F in January, winters tend to be colder in South Bend than in other parts of the country, and summers are often more temperate than other places, averaging 83°F in July.

Local crime rates are another important indicator. The violent crime rate in South Bend is 75.0 percent higher than the national average, and the property crime rate is 100.0 percent higher than average. At $36,360 per year, the population of South Bend earns a lower than average median household income. South Bend has an unemployment rate of 11.50 percent, roughly 26.4 percent higher than the national average. And about 12.94 percent of the population in South Bend is of retirement age -- 65 or older -- which matches the national average.

Sunny Days Per Year

Avg Temperature (°F)

Property Crime Index

Amenities Per Capita	South Bend	Nat'l Avg
Parks	2.1	136.1
Libraries	6	18.8
Places of Worship	82.5	220.5
Public Transit	80.9	110.4
Grocery Stores	86.7	97.7
Pharmacies	20.2	13.8

Percent of Population Over Age 65