Best places to live in the South Bend metro area

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July 8, 2025
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Best places to live in the South Bend metro area

Stacker compiled a list of the best places to live in the South Bend metro area using data from the Niche. Niche uses 15 weighted factors for its rankings. A majority of the score is based on cost of living, higher education rate, housing, public schools, diversity, and crime. You can read more about Niche's methodology here.

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#21. Mason Township

- Niche grade: B-
- Public school grade: B
- Population: 2,837

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#20. Niles

- Niche grade: B-
- Public school grade: B-
- Population: 11,838

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#19. New Paris

- Niche grade: B-
- Public school grade: B+
- Population: 1,630

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#18. Buchanan Township

- Niche grade: B
- Public school grade: B
- Population: 3,429

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#17. Edwardsburg

- Niche grade: B
- Public school grade: A-
- Population: 1,244

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#16. Elkhart

- Niche grade: B
- Public school grade: C+
- Population: 53,726

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#15. Buchanan

- Niche grade: B
- Public school grade: B
- Population: 4,259

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#14. Niles Township

- Niche grade: B
- Public school grade: B-
- Population: 14,338

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#13. Howard Township

- Niche grade: B
- Public school grade: B-
- Population: 6,270

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#12. Simonton Lake

- Niche grade: B
- Public school grade: C+
- Population: 4,113

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#11. Bristol

- Niche grade: B+
- Public school grade: C-
- Population: 1,903

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#10. Bertrand Township

- Niche grade: B+
- Public school grade: B
- Population: 2,602

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#9. Milton Township

- Niche grade: B+
- Public school grade: B+
- Population: 3,169

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#8. Goshen

- Niche grade: B+
- Public school grade: B
- Population: 34,374

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#7. Nappanee

- Niche grade: B+
- Public school grade: A
- Population: 7,040

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#6. Bremen

- Niche grade: B+
- Public school grade: B
- Population: 4,660

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#5. Dunlap

- Niche grade: B+
- Public school grade: B-
- Population: 6,602

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#4. South Bend

- Niche grade: A-
- Public school grade: B
- Population: 102,866

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#3. Mishawaka

- Niche grade: A-
- Public school grade: A-
- Population: 50,907

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#2. Osceola

- Niche grade: A
- Public school grade: A
- Population: 2,583

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#1. Granger

- Niche grade: A+
- Public school grade: A
- Population: 30,279

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