Lake County, Indiana
Named for Lake Michigan and organized in 1837
County Seat: Crown Point
Largest City: Hammond (2016 population: 77,134)
Population per Square Mile: 973.64
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% | 6,484,136 |
| Today (2016) | 485,846 | 2 | 7.3% | 6,633,053 |
| Tomorrow (2020 projection)* | 507,724 | 2 | 7.4% | 6,852,121 |
| Percent Change 2010 to Today | -2.1% | 61 | | 2.3% |
*Projection based on 2010 Census counts.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau; Indiana Business Research Center
| Components of Population Change, 2015-2016 | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| Net Domestic Migration | -2,891 | 91 | | -12,135 |
| Net International Migration | 324 | 7 | | 11,052 |
| Natural Increase (births minus deaths) | 1,010 | 6 | 4.5% | 22,358 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
| Population Estimates by Age, 2016 | Number | Rank in State | Pct Dist.
in County | Pct Dist.
in State |
|---|
| Preschool (0 to 4) | 30,199 | 2 | 6.2% | 6.4% |
| School Age (5 to 17) | 86,667 | 2 | 17.8% | 17.4% |
| College Age (18 to 24) | 43,143 | 3 | 8.9% | 10.0% |
| Young Adult (25 to 44) | 120,316 | 2 | 24.8% | 25.2% |
| Older Adult (45 to 64) | 130,646 | 2 | 26.9% | 26.1% |
| Seniors (65 and older) | 74,875 | 2 | 15.4% | 14.9% |
| Median Age | 38.7 | | | Median Age = 37.6 |
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau; Indiana Business Research Center
| Population Estimates by Race and Hispanic Origin, 2016 | Number | Rank of | Pct Dist.
in County | Pct Dist.
in State |
|---|
| American Indian or Alaska Native Alone | 2,582 | 2 | 0.5% | 0.4% |
| Asian Alone | 7,594 | 6 | 1.6% | 2.2% |
| Black Alone | 120,704 | 2 | 24.8% | 9.7% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pac. Isl. Alone | 283 | 3 | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| White | 345,603 | 2 | 71.1% | 85.6% |
| Two or More Race Groups | 9,080 | 3 | 1.9% | 2.0% |
| Non-Hispanic | 394,964 | 2 | 81.3% | 93.2% |
| Hispanic | 90,882 | 2 | 18.7% | 6.8% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
| Household Types | Number | Rank in State | Pct Dist.
in County | Pct Dist.
in State |
|---|
| Households in 2015 (Includes detail not shown below) | 183,314 | 2 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Married With Children | 31,797 | 3 | 17.3% | 19.2% |
| Married Without Children | 49,794 | 2 | 27.2% | 30.0% |
| Single Parents | 21,908 | 2 | 12.0% | 9.8% |
| Living Alone | 51,579 | 2 | 28.1% | 28.0% |
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 2016 (estimate) | 211,463 | 2 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Total Housing Units in 2015 (includes vacant units) | 208,488 | 2 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
Owner Occupied
(Pct. distribution based on all housing units) | 126,228 | 2 | 60.5% | 61.9% |
| Median Value (2015) | $136,100 | 18 | | |
Renter Occupied
(Pct. distribution based on all housing units) | 57,086 | 2 | 27.4% | 27.8% |
| Median Rent (2015) | $663 | 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 2015 ACS) | 325,777 | 2 | 7.5% | 4,316,273 |
| with High School diploma or higher | 87.2% | 50 | | 87.8% |
| with B.A. or higher degree | 20.4% | 21 | | 24.1% |
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 2015 | $39,896 | 27 | 95.1% | 41,940 |
| Median Household Income in 2015 | 50,613 | 39 | 100.2% | $50,510 |
| Poverty Rate in 2015 | 16.6% | 16 | 115.3% | 14.4% |
| Poverty Rate among Children under 18 | 26.5% | 8 | 129.9% | 20.4% |
| Welfare (TANF) Monthly Average Families in 2016 | 812 | 2 | 10.8% | 7,519 |
| Food Stamp Recipients in 2016 | 75,202 | 2 | 10.4% | 722,928 |
| 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, 2015 | 5,910 | 2 | 7.0% | 84,008 |
| Births to Teens, 2015 | 421 | 2 | 7.2% | 5,876 |
| Deaths, 2015 | 4,855 | 2 | 7.7% | 62,666 |
Source: Indiana State Department of Health
| Labor Force, 2016 | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| Total Resident Labor Force | 232,458 | 2 | 7.0% | 3,326,893 |
| Employed | 217,762 | 2 | 6.8% | 3,179,806 |
| Unemployed | 14,696 | 2 | 10.0% | 147,087 |
| Annual Unemployment Rate | 6.3 | 3 | 143.2% | 4.4 |
| August 2017 Unemployment Rate | 5.6 | 2 | 140.0% | 4.0 |
Source: STATS Indiana, using data from the Indiana Department of Workforce Development
| Employment and Earnings by Industry, 2015 | Employment | Pct Dist.
in County | Earnings ($000) | Pct Dist.
In County | Avg. Earnings Per Job |
|---|
| Total by place of work | 243,017 | 100.0% | $12,466,095 | 100.0% | $51,297 |
| Wage and Salary | 199,293 | 82.0% | $9,283,193 | 74.5% | $46,581 |
| Farm Proprietors | 347 | 0.1% | $-12,093 | -0.1% | $-34,850 |
| Nonfarm Proprietors | 43,377 | 17.8% | $1,047,668 | 8.4% | $24,153 |
| Farm | 440 | 0.2% | $-8,517 | -0.1% | $-19,357 |
| Nonfarm | 242,577 | 99.8% | $12,474,612 | 100.1% | $51,425 |
| Private | 215,449 | 88.7% | $11,062,056 | 88.7% | $51,344 |
| Accommodation, Food Serv. | 19,093 | 7.9% | $442,428 | 3.5% | $23,172 |
| Arts, Ent., Recreation | 7,732 | 3.2% | $252,486 | 2.0% | $32,655 |
| Construction | 14,235 | 5.9% | $1,070,603 | 8.6% | $75,209 |
| Health Care, Social Serv. | 35,786 | 14.7% | $1,983,859 | 15.9% | $55,437 |
| Information | 1,939 | 0.8% | $93,030 | 0.7% | $47,978 |
| Manufacturing | 24,746 | 10.2% | $2,596,069 | 20.8% | $104,909 |
| Professional, Tech. Serv. | 9,779 | 4.0% | $479,985 | 3.9% | $49,083 |
| Retail Trade | 28,895 | 11.9% | $826,349 | 6.6% | $28,598 |
| Trans., Warehousing | 10,495 | 4.3% | $639,074 | 5.1% | $60,893 |
| Wholesale Trade | Data not available due to BEA non-disclosure requirements. |
| Other Private (not above) | 53,989* | 22.2%* | $1,885,678* | 15.1%* | $34,927* |
| Government | 27,128 | 11.2% | $1,412,556 | 11.3% | $52,070 |
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, 2016 | Units | Pct Dist.
in County | Pct Dist.
in State | Cost ($000) | State Cost ($000) |
|---|
| Total Permits Filed | 1,122 | 100.0% | 100.0% | $252,055 | $3,875,847 |
| Single-Family | 1,034 | 92.2% | 75.2% | $239,958 | $3,417,822 |
| 2-Family | 24 | 2.1% | 3.1% | 3,094 | $64,063 |
| 3- and 4-Family | 31 | 2.8% | 0.9% | $4,075 | $21,320 |
| 5+ Family | 33 | 2.9% | 20.9% | $4,928 | $372,642 |
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 2016 | Percent of County |
|---|
| Cedar Lake | 12,183 | 2.5% |
| Crown Point | 29,176 | 6.0% |
| Dyer | 15,941 | 3.3% |
| East Chicago | 28,418 | 5.8% |
| Gary | 76,424 | 15.7% |
| Griffith | 16,252 | 3.3% |
| Hammond | 77,134 | 15.9% |
| Highland | 22,737 | 4.7% |
| Hobart | 28,248 | 5.8% |
| Lake Station | 11,952 | 2.5% |
| Lowell | 9,519 | 2.0% |
| Merrillville | 34,994 | 7.2% |
| Munster | 22,825 | 4.7% |
| New Chicago | 1,956 | 0.4% |
| St. John | 16,800 | 3.5% |
| Schererville | 28,701 | 5.9% |
| Schneider | 270 | 0.1% |
| Whiting | 4,831 | 1.0% |
| Winfield | 5,560 | 1.1% |
Hoosiers by the Numbers