Lake County, Indiana
Named for Lake Michigan and organized in 1837
County Seat: Crown Point
Largest City: Hammond (2017 population: 76,618)
Population per Square Mile: 973.23
Square Miles: 499.00
Go to county's in.gov site
| Population over Time | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| Yesterday (2010) | 496,050 | 2 | 7.7% | 6,484,192 |
| Today (2017) | 485,640 | 2 | 7.3% | 6,666,818 |
| Tomorrow (2020 projection)* | 507,724 | 2 | 7.4% | 6,852,121 |
| Percent Change 2010 to Today | -2.1% | 62 | | 2.8% |
*Projection based on 2010 Census counts.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau; Indiana Business Research Center
| Components of Population Change, 2016-2017 | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| Net Domestic Migration | -2,155 | 91 | | -976 |
| Net International Migration | 301 | 8 | | 11,410 |
| Natural Increase (births minus deaths) | 902 | 7 | 4.0% | 22,545 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
| Population Estimates by Age, 2017 | Number | Rank in State | Pct Dist.
in County | Pct Dist.
in State |
|---|
| Preschool (0 to 4) | 29,631 | 2 | 6.1% | 6.3% |
| School Age (5 to 17) | 85,451 | 2 | 17.6% | 17.3% |
| College Age (18 to 24) | 42,530 | 3 | 8.8% | 9.9% |
| Young Adult (25 to 44) | 120,275 | 2 | 24.8% | 25.3% |
| Older Adult (45 to 64) | 129,587 | 2 | 26.7% | 25.9% |
| Seniors (65 and older) | 78,166 | 2 | 16.1% | 15.4% |
| Median Age | 39.1 | | | Median Age = 37.7 |
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau; Indiana Business Research Center
| Population Estimates by Race and Hispanic Origin, 2017 | Number | Rank of | Pct Dist.
in County | Pct Dist.
in State |
|---|
| American Indian or Alaska Native Alone | 2,571 | 2 | 0.5% | 0.4% |
| Asian Alone | 7,972 | 6 | 1.6% | 2.4% |
| Black Alone | 119,389 | 2 | 24.6% | 9.7% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pac. Isl. Alone | 290 | 4 | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| White | 346,208 | 2 | 71.3% | 85.4% |
| Two or More Race Groups | 9,210 | 3 | 1.9% | 2.1% |
| Non-Hispanic | 392,816 | 2 | 80.9% | 93.0% |
| Hispanic | 92,824 | 2 | 19.1% | 7.0% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
| Household Types | Number | Rank in State | Pct Dist.
in County | Pct Dist.
in State |
|---|
| Households in 2016 (Includes detail not shown below) | 184,140 | 2 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Married With Children | 31,096 | 3 | 16.9% | 19.0% |
| Married Without Children | 50,370 | 2 | 27.4% | 30.0% |
| Single Parents | 21,703 | 2 | 11.8% | 9.7% |
| Living Alone | 52,031 | 2 | 28.3% | 28.2% |
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 2017 (estimate) | 212,728 | 2 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Total Housing Units in 2016 (includes vacant units) | 210,391 | 2 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
Owner Occupied
(Pct. distribution based on all housing units) | 126,609 | 2 | 60.2% | 61.0% |
| Median Value (2016) | $137,800 | 20 | | |
Renter Occupied
(Pct. distribution based on all housing units) | 57,531 | 2 | 27.3% | 27.8% |
| Median Rent (2016) | $674 | 8 | | |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
| Education | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| School Enrollment (2016/2017 Total Reported) | 86,017 | 2 | 7.7% | 1,110,866 |
| Public | 81,158 | 2 | 7.7% | 1,048,879 |
| Adults (25+ in 2016 ACS) | 325,433 | 2 | 7.5% | 4,339,687 |
| with High School diploma or higher | 87.6% | 50 | | 88.1% |
| with B.A. or higher degree | 20.9% | 21 | | 24.6% |
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 2016 | $40,628 | 33 | 94.3% | 43,097 |
| Median Household Income in 2016 | 53,600 | 33 | 102.5% | $52,289 |
| Poverty Rate in 2016 | 16.6% | 14 | 118.6% | 14.0% |
| Poverty Rate among Children under 18 | 25.7% | 7 | 134.6% | 19.1% |
| Welfare (TANF) Monthly Average Families in 2017 | 696 | 2 | 10.3% | 6,790 |
| Food Stamp Recipients in 2017 | 69,155 | 2 | 10.5% | 656,297 |
| Free and Reduced Fee Lunch Recipients in 2016/2017 | 43,418 | 2 | 8.8% | 495,330 |
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, 2016 | 5,649 | 2 | 6.8% | 83,063 |
| Births to Teens, 2016 | 388 | 2 | 7.3% | 5,294 |
| Deaths, 2016 | 4,835 | 2 | 7.6% | 63,492 |
Source: Indiana State Department of Health
| Labor Force, 2017 | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| Total Resident Labor Force | 229,520 | 2 | 6.9% | 3,320,409 |
| Employed | 217,832 | 2 | 6.8% | 3,203,351 |
| Unemployed | 11,688 | 2 | 10.0% | 117,058 |
| Annual Unemployment Rate | 5.1 | 2 | 145.7% | 3.5 |
| September 2018 Unemployment Rate | 4.5 | 1 | 125.0% | 3.6 |
Source: STATS Indiana, using data from the Indiana Department of Workforce Development
| Employment and Earnings by Industry, 2016 | Employment | Pct Dist.
in County | Earnings ($000) | Pct Dist.
In County | Avg. Earnings Per Job |
|---|
| Total by place of work | 245,037 | 100.0% | $12,649,504 | 100.0% | $51,623 |
| Wage and Salary | 200,558 | 81.8% | $9,358,658 | 74.0% | $46,663 |
| Farm Proprietors | 346 | 0.1% | $-7,041 | -0.1% | $-20,350 |
| Nonfarm Proprietors | 44,133 | 18.0% | $995,752 | 7.9% | $22,563 |
| Farm | 440 | 0.2% | $-3,577 | -0.0% | $-8,130 |
| Nonfarm | 244,597 | 99.8% | $12,653,081 | 100.0% | $51,730 |
| Private | 217,722 | 88.9% | $11,233,877 | 88.8% | $51,597 |
| Accommodation, Food Serv. | 19,510 | 8.0% | $454,437 | 3.6% | $23,293 |
| Arts, Ent., Recreation | 7,391 | 3.0% | $239,865 | 1.9% | $32,454 |
| Construction | 14,673 | 6.0% | $1,074,425 | 8.5% | $73,225 |
| Health Care, Social Serv. | 36,818 | 15.0% | $2,093,491 | 16.5% | $56,861 |
| Information | 1,918 | 0.8% | $95,728 | 0.8% | $49,910 |
| Manufacturing | 24,659 | 10.1% | $2,572,362 | 20.3% | $104,317 |
| Professional, Tech. Serv. | 9,769 | 4.0% | $476,599 | 3.8% | $48,787 |
| Retail Trade | 29,235 | 11.9% | $862,658 | 6.8% | $29,508 |
| Trans., Warehousing | 10,745 | 4.4% | $633,743 | 5.0% | $58,980 |
| Wholesale Trade | Data not available due to BEA non-disclosure requirements. |
| Other Private (not above) | 54,236* | 22.1%* | $1,922,529* | 15.2%* | $35,447* |
| Government | 26,875 | 11.0% | $1,419,204 | 11.2% | $52,808 |
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, 2017 | Units | Pct Dist.
in County | Pct Dist.
in State | Cost ($000) | State Cost ($000) |
|---|
| Total Permits Filed | 1,399 | 100.0% | 100.0% | $320,402 | $4,583,500 |
| Single-Family | 1,324 | 94.6% | 74.2% | $309,613 | $4,038,599 |
| 2-Family | 36 | 2.6% | 2.0% | 4,183 | $62,844 |
| 3- and 4-Family | 15 | 1.1% | 0.4% | $3,064 | $13,000 |
| 5+ Family | 24 | 1.7% | 23.4% | $3,541 | $469,056 |
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 2017 | Percent of County |
|---|
| Cedar Lake | 12,470 | 2.6% |
| Crown Point | 29,625 | 6.1% |
| Dyer | 15,941 | 3.3% |
| East Chicago | 28,215 | 5.8% |
| Gary | 76,008 | 15.7% |
| Griffith | 16,152 | 3.3% |
| Hammond | 76,618 | 15.8% |
| Highland | 22,585 | 4.7% |
| Hobart | 28,255 | 5.8% |
| Lake Station | 11,965 | 2.5% |
| Lowell | 9,661 | 2.0% |
| Merrillville | 34,871 | 7.2% |
| Munster | 22,717 | 4.7% |
| New Chicago | 1,959 | 0.4% |
| St. John | 17,259 | 3.6% |
| Schererville | 28,633 | 5.9% |
| Schneider | 263 | 0.1% |
| Whiting | 4,825 | 1.0% |
| Winfield | 5,684 | 1.2% |
Hoosiers by the Numbers