Lake County, Indiana
Named for Lake Michigan and organized in 1837
County Seat: Crown Point
Largest City: Hammond (2023 population: 76,193)
Population per Square Mile: 1,003.20
Square Miles: 499.00
Go to county's in.gov site
| Population over Time | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| Yesterday (2020) | 498,700 | 2 | 7.7% | 6,484,050 |
| Today (2023) | 500,598 | 2 | 7.3% | 6,862,199 |
| Tomorrow (2030 projection)* | 482,321 | 2 | 6.9% | 7,014,880 |
| Percent Change 2020 to Today | 0.4% | 40 | | 1.1% |
*Projection based on 2015 Census population estimates.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau; Indiana Business Research Center
| Components of Population Change, 2022-2023 | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| Net Domestic Migration | -19 | 71 | | 4,599 |
| Net International Migration | 708 | 7 | | 17,869 |
| Natural Increase (births minus deaths) | 246 | 12 | 3.3% | 7,508 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
| Population Estimates by Age, 2023 | Number | Rank in State | Pct Dist.
in County | Pct Dist.
in State |
|---|
| Preschool (0 to 4) | 28,618 | 2 | 5.7% | 5.9% |
| School Age (5 to 17) | 86,610 | 2 | 17.3% | 17.2% |
| College Age (18 to 24) | 41,817 | 3 | 8.4% | 9.6% |
| Young Adult (25 to 44) | 126,142 | 2 | 25.2% | 25.8% |
| Older Adult (45 to 64) | 125,755 | 2 | 25.1% | 24.2% |
| Seniors (65 and older) | 91,656 | 2 | 18.3% | 17.2% |
| Median Age | 40.1 | | | Median Age = 38.2 |
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau; Indiana Business Research Center
| Population Estimates by Race and Hispanic Origin, 2023 | Number | Rank of | Pct Dist.
in County | Pct Dist.
in State |
|---|
| American Indian or Alaska Native Alone | 2,797 | 2 | 0.6% | 0.5% |
| Asian Alone | 8,868 | 7 | 1.8% | 2.9% |
| Black Alone | 123,091 | 2 | 24.6% | 10.4% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pac. Isl. Alone | 373 | 4 | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| White | 354,217 | 2 | 70.8% | 83.7% |
| Two or More Race Groups | 11,252 | 3 | 2.2% | 2.5% |
| Non-Hispanic | 394,141 | 2 | 78.7% | 91.2% |
| Hispanic | 106,457 | 2 | 21.3% | 8.8% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
| Household Types | Number | Rank in State | Pct Dist.
in County | Pct Dist.
in State |
|---|
| Households in 2022 (Includes detail not shown below) | 191,872 | 2 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Married With Children | 30,293 | 3 | 15.8% | 18.1% |
| Married Without Children | 52,741 | 2 | 27.5% | 29.6% |
| Single Parents | 22,170 | 2 | 11.6% | 9.0% |
| Living Alone | 56,826 | 2 | 29.6% | 29.4% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
| Housing | Number | Rank in State | Pct Dist.
in County | Pct Dist.
in State |
|---|
| Total Housing Units in 2023 (estimate) | 218,667 | 2 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Total Housing Units in 2022 (includes vacant units) | 215,277 | 2 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
Owner Occupied
(Pct. distribution based on all housing units) | 136,080 | 2 | 63.2% | 63.5% |
| Median Value (2022) | $195,100 | 19 | | |
Renter Occupied
(Pct. distribution based on all housing units) | 55,792 | 2 | 25.9% | 27.1% |
| Median Rent (2022) | $841 | 11 | | |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
| Education | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| School Enrollment (2022/2023 Total Reported) | 82,455 | 2 | 7.3% | 1,124,094 |
| Public | 75,092 | 2 | 7.3% | 1,035,718 |
| Adults (25+ in 2022 ACS) | 338,457 | 2 | 7.5% | 4,532,091 |
| with High School diploma or higher | 90.2% | 44 | | 90% |
| with B.A. or higher degree | 24.5% | 23 | | 28.2% |
Sources: Indiana Department of Education; U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
| Income and Poverty | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| Per Capita Personal Income (annual) in 2022 | $53,127 | 40 | 91.1% | 58,323 |
| Median Household Income in 2022 | 66,169 | 35 | 99.1% | $66,768 |
| Poverty Rate in 2022 | 14.7% | 16 | 117.6% | 12.5% |
| Poverty Rate among Children under 18 | 20.5% | 10 | 133.1% | 15.4% |
| Welfare (TANF) Monthly Average Families in 2022 | 449 | 2 | 11.4% | 3,933 |
| Food Stamp Recipients in 2022 | 63,128 | 2 | 10.3% | 611,203 |
| Free and Reduced Fee Lunch Recipients in 2022/2023 | 39,238 | 2 | 7.7% | 511,735 |
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis; U.S. Census Bureau; Indiana Family Social Services Administration; Indiana Department of Education
| Health and Vital Statistics | Number | Rank of | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| Births, 2021 | 5,418 | 2 | 6.8% | 79,946 |
| Births to Teens, 2021 | 272 | 2 | 7.1% | 3,845 |
| Deaths, 2019 | 5,259 | 2 | 8.0% | 66,005 |
Source: Indiana State Department of Health
| Labor Force, 2023 | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| Total Resident Labor Force | 228,991 | 2 | 6.7% | 3,401,387 |
| Employed | 217,531 | 2 | 6.6% | 3,288,017 |
| Unemployed | 11,460 | 2 | 10.1% | 113,370 |
| Annual Unemployment Rate | 5.0 | 1 | 151.5% | 3.3 |
| May 2024 Unemployment Rate | 5.4 | 3 | 138.5% | 3.9 |
Source: STATS Indiana, using data from the Indiana Department of Workforce Development
| Employment and Earnings by Industry, 2022 | Employment | Pct Dist.
in County | Earnings ($000) | Pct Dist.
In County | Avg. Earnings Per Job |
|---|
| Total by place of work | 257,144 | 100.0% | $16,126,165 | 100.0% | $62,713 |
| Wage and Salary | 200,724 | 78.1% | $11,926,285 | 74.0% | $59,416 |
| Farm Proprietors | 315 | 0.1% | $15,385 | 0.1% | $48,841 |
| Nonfarm Proprietors | 56,105 | 21.8% | $1,660,198 | 10.3% | $29,591 |
| Farm | 402 | 0.2% | $19,162 | 0.1% | $47,667 |
| Nonfarm | 256,742 | 99.8% | $16,107,003 | 99.9% | $62,736 |
| Private | 232,666 | 90.5% | $14,541,407 | 90.2% | $62,499 |
| Accommodation, Food Serv. | 22,571 | 8.8% | $830,810 | 5.2% | $36,809 |
| Arts, Ent., Recreation | 5,340 | 2.1% | $165,201 | 1.0% | $30,937 |
| Construction | 15,543 | 6.0% | $1,346,334 | 8.3% | $86,620 |
| Health Care, Social Serv. | 35,957 | 14.0% | $2,534,319 | 15.7% | $70,482 |
| Information | 1,827 | 0.7% | $93,321 | 0.6% | $51,079 |
| Manufacturing | 22,717 | 8.8% | $2,969,653 | 18.4% | $130,724 |
| Professional, Tech. Serv. | 12,325 | 4.8% | $734,319 | 4.6% | $59,580 |
| Retail Trade | 28,316 | 11.0% | $1,194,454 | 7.4% | $42,183 |
| Trans., Warehousing | 17,009 | 6.6% | $883,922 | 5.5% | $51,968 |
| Wholesale Trade | Data not available due to BEA non-disclosure requirements. |
| Other Private (not above) | 61,689* | 24.0%* | $2,651,188* | 16.4%* | $42,977* |
| Government | 24,076 | 9.4% | $1,565,596 | 9.7% | $65,027 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis
* These totals do not include county data that are not available due to BEA non-disclosure requirements.
| Residential Building Permits, 2023 | Units | Pct Dist.
in County | Pct Dist.
in State | Cost ($000) | State Cost ($000) |
|---|
| Total Permits Filed | 1,286 | 100.0% | 100.0% | $350,630 | $7,695,489 |
| Single-Family | 1,062 | 82.6% | 63.0% | $328,194 | $5,961,199 |
| 2-Family | 6 | 0.5% | 2.0% | 1,254 | $99,053 |
| 3- and 4-Family | 8 | 0.6% | 0.9% | $1,383 | $40,460 |
| 5+ Family | 210 | 16.3% | 34.2% | $19,799 | $1,594,777 |
Notes: Detail cost may not sum to total due to rounding. Greene County does not currently issue building permits, so it is excluded.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Largest Cities and Towns in Lake County
| Name | Population
in 2023 | Percent of County |
|---|
| Cedar Lake | 16,068 | 3.2% |
| Crown Point | 34,884 | 7.0% |
| Dyer | 16,333 | 3.3% |
| East Chicago | 25,830 | 5.2% |
| Gary | 67,652 | 13.5% |
| Griffith | 16,222 | 3.2% |
| Hammond | 76,193 | 15.2% |
| Highland | 23,525 | 4.7% |
| Hobart | 29,408 | 5.9% |
| Lake Station | 13,047 | 2.6% |
| Lowell | 11,239 | 2.2% |
| Merrillville | 36,347 | 7.3% |
| Munster | 23,614 | 4.7% |
| New Chicago | 1,961 | 0.4% |
| St. John | 23,644 | 4.7% |
| Schererville | 29,657 | 5.9% |
| Schneider | 261 | 0.1% |
| Whiting | 4,506 | 0.9% |
| Winfield | 8,045 | 1.6% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau annual population estimates
Hoosiers by the Numbers