Lake County, Indiana
Named for Lake Michigan and organized in 1837
County Seat: Crown Point
Largest City: Hammond (2020 population: 75,342)
Population per Square Mile: 977.03
Square Miles: 499.00
Go to county's in.gov site
| Population over Time | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| Yesterday (2010) | 496,112 | 2 | 7.7% | 6,484,050 |
| Today (2020) | 487,536 | 2 | 7.2% | 6,785,644 |
| Tomorrow (2030 projection)* | 516,195 | 2 | 7.2% | 7,143,795 |
| Percent Change 2010 to Today | -1.7% | 56 | | 4.7% |
*Projection based on 2010 Census counts.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau; Indiana Business Research Center
| Components of Population Change, 2019-2020 | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| Net Domestic Migration | 850 | 8 | | 14,280 |
| Net International Migration | 87 | 13 | | 4,756 |
| Natural Increase (births minus deaths) | 338 | 11 | 48.8% | 692 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
| Population Estimates by Age, 2020 | Number | Rank in State | Pct Dist.
in County | Pct Dist.
in State |
|---|
| Preschool (0 to 4) | 28,937 | 2 | 5.9% | 6.1% |
| School Age (5 to 17) | 84,222 | 2 | 17.3% | 17.0% |
| College Age (18 to 24) | 41,495 | 3 | 8.5% | 9.7% |
| Young Adult (25 to 44) | 122,435 | 2 | 25.1% | 25.7% |
| Older Adult (45 to 64) | 125,566 | 2 | 25.8% | 24.9% |
| Seniors (65 and older) | 84,881 | 2 | 17.4% | 16.5% |
| Median Age | 39.6 | | | Median Age = 38.0 |
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau; Indiana Business Research Center
| Population Estimates by Race and Hispanic Origin, 2020 | Number | Rank of | Pct Dist.
in County | Pct Dist.
in State |
|---|
| American Indian or Alaska Native Alone | 2,752 | 2 | 0.6% | 0.4% |
| Asian Alone | 8,253 | 6 | 1.7% | 2.7% |
| Black Alone | 119,794 | 2 | 24.6% | 10.1% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pac. Isl. Alone | 335 | 4 | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| White | 346,229 | 2 | 71.0% | 84.5% |
| Two or More Race Groups | 10,173 | 3 | 2.1% | 2.2% |
| Non-Hispanic | 390,041 | 2 | 80.0% | 92.6% |
| Hispanic | 97,495 | 2 | 20.0% | 7.4% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
| Household Types | Number | Rank in State | Pct Dist.
in County | Pct Dist.
in State |
|---|
| Households in 2019 (Includes detail not shown below) | 186,731 | 2 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Married With Children | 31,060 | 3 | 16.6% | 18.5% |
| Married Without Children | 51,008 | 2 | 27.3% | 29.7% |
| Single Parents | 21,168 | 2 | 11.3% | 9.3% |
| Living Alone | 55,416 | 2 | 29.7% | 29.0% |
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 2020 (estimate) | 215,597 | 2 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Total Housing Units in 2019 (includes vacant units) | 212,899 | 2 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
Owner Occupied
(Pct. distribution based on all housing units) | 130,138 | 2 | 61.1% | 61.5% |
| Median Value (2019) | $149,500 | 23 | | |
Renter Occupied
(Pct. distribution based on all housing units) | 56,593 | 2 | 26.6% | 27.5% |
| Median Rent (2019) | $723 | 9 | | |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
| Education | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| School Enrollment (2020/2021 Total Reported) | 82,852 | 2 | 7.4% | 1,112,460 |
| Public | 76,605 | 2 | 7.4% | 1,033,286 |
| Adults (25+ in 2019 ACS) | 327,862 | 2 | 7.4% | 4,430,493 |
| with High School diploma or higher | 88.7% | 44 | | 88.8% |
| with B.A. or higher degree | 22.6% | 23 | | 26.5% |
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 2020 | $49,229 | 26 | 94.8% | 51,926 |
| Median Household Income in 2019 | 57,280 | 40 | 99.4% | $57,617 |
| Poverty Rate in 2019 | 14.5% | 11 | 121.8% | 11.9% |
| Poverty Rate among Children under 18 | 20.3% | 12 | 134.4% | 15.1% |
| Welfare (TANF) Monthly Average Families in 2021 | 768 | 2 | 11.9% | 6,453 |
| Food Stamp Recipients in 2021 | 64,987 | 2 | 10.2% | 636,675 |
| Free and Reduced Fee Lunch Recipients in 2019/2020 | 42,489 | 2 | 8.4% | 507,739 |
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, 2019 | 5,684 | 2 | 7.0% | 80,859 |
| Births to Teens, 2017 | 357 | 2 | 6.9% | 5,152 |
| Deaths, 2019 | 5,259 | 2 | 8.0% | 66,005 |
Source: Indiana State Department of Health
| Labor Force, 2020 | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| Total Resident Labor Force | 225,185 | 2 | 6.8% | 3,319,010 |
| Employed | 201,989 | 2 | 6.6% | 3,082,982 |
| Unemployed | 23,196 | 2 | 9.8% | 236,028 |
| Annual Unemployment Rate | 10.3 | 3 | 145.1% | 7.1 |
| November 2021 Unemployment Rate | 3.6 | 1 | 276.9% | 1.3 |
Source: STATS Indiana, using data from the Indiana Department of Workforce Development
| Employment and Earnings by Industry, 2020 | Employment | Pct Dist.
in County | Earnings ($000) | Pct Dist.
In County | Avg. Earnings Per Job |
|---|
| Total by place of work | 233,174 | 100.0% | $13,693,586 | 100.0% | $58,727 |
| Wage and Salary | 190,217 | 81.6% | $9,988,218 | 72.9% | $52,510 |
| Farm Proprietors | 321 | 0.1% | $16,843 | 0.1% | $52,470 |
| Nonfarm Proprietors | 42,636 | 18.3% | $1,269,632 | 9.3% | $29,778 |
| Farm | 425 | 0.2% | $20,294 | 0.1% | $47,751 |
| Nonfarm | 232,749 | 99.8% | $13,673,292 | 99.9% | $58,747 |
| Private | 208,044 | 89.2% | $12,182,579 | 89.0% | $58,558 |
| Accommodation, Food Serv. | 18,192 | 7.8% | $505,128 | 3.7% | $27,766 |
| Arts, Ent., Recreation | 5,633 | 2.4% | $183,811 | 1.3% | $32,631 |
| Construction | 13,855 | 5.9% | $1,164,436 | 8.5% | $84,044 |
| Health Care, Social Serv. | 35,793 | 15.4% | $2,381,570 | 17.4% | $66,537 |
| Information | 1,517 | 0.7% | $87,511 | 0.6% | $57,687 |
| Manufacturing | 22,372 | 9.6% | $2,439,252 | 17.8% | $109,031 |
| Professional, Tech. Serv. | 9,996 | 4.3% | $565,529 | 4.1% | $56,576 |
| Retail Trade | 26,282 | 11.3% | $923,216 | 6.7% | $35,127 |
| Trans., Warehousing | 13,994 | 6.0% | $871,386 | 6.4% | $62,269 |
| Wholesale Trade | Data not available due to BEA non-disclosure requirements. |
| Other Private (not above) | 52,214* | 22.4%* | $2,151,374* | 15.7%* | $41,203* |
| Government | 24,705 | 10.6% | $1,490,713 | 10.9% | $60,341 |
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, 2020 | Units | Pct Dist.
in County | Pct Dist.
in State | Cost ($000) | State Cost ($000) |
|---|
| Total Permits Filed | 1,512 | 100.0% | 100.0% | $400,217 | $5,872,297 |
| Single-Family | 1,408 | 93.1% | 76.2% | $383,802 | $5,209,930 |
| 2-Family | 60 | 4.0% | 2.5% | 10,847 | $83,895 |
| 3- and 4-Family | 4 | 0.3% | 0.8% | $450 | $25,965 |
| 5+ Family | 40 | 2.6% | 20.6% | $5,118 | $552,508 |
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 2020 | Percent of County |
|---|
| Cedar Lake | 13,588 | 2.8% |
| Crown Point | 30,906 | 6.3% |
| Dyer | 15,955 | 3.3% |
| East Chicago | 27,742 | 5.7% |
| Gary | 74,693 | 15.3% |
| Griffith | 16,032 | 3.3% |
| Hammond | 75,342 | 15.5% |
| Highland | 22,283 | 4.6% |
| Hobart | 27,913 | 5.7% |
| Lake Station | 11,850 | 2.4% |
| Lowell | 10,137 | 2.1% |
| Merrillville | 34,916 | 7.2% |
| Munster | 22,483 | 4.6% |
| New Chicago | 1,937 | 0.4% |
| St. John | 19,616 | 4.0% |
| Schererville | 28,593 | 5.9% |
| Schneider | 260 | 0.1% |
| Whiting | 4,814 | 1.0% |
| Winfield | 6,265 | 1.3% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau annual population estimates
Hoosiers by the Numbers