Lake County, Indiana
Named for Lake Michigan and organized in 1837
County Seat: Crown Point
Largest City: Hammond (2025 population: 75,712)
Population per Square Mile: 1,011.25
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 (2025) | 504,612 | 2 | 7.2% | 6,973,333 |
| Tomorrow (2030 projection)* | 504,125 | 2 | 7.2% | 7,013,509 |
| Percent Change 2020 to Today | 1.2% | 40 | | 2.8% |
*Projection based on 2020 Census population estimates.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau; Indiana Business Research Center
| Components of Population Change, 2024-2025 | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| Net Domestic Migration | 1,753 | 8 | | 12,197 |
| Net International Migration | 216 | 13 | | 17,852 |
| Natural Increase (births minus deaths) | 137 | 14 | 1.6% | 8,561 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
| Population Estimates by Age, 2025 | Number | Rank in State | Pct Dist.
in County | Pct Dist.
in State |
|---|
| Preschool (0 to 4) | 27,169 | 2 | 5.4% | 5.8% |
| School Age (5 to 17) | 85,718 | 2 | 17.0% | 16.8% |
| College Age (18 to 24) | 43,295 | 3 | 8.6% | 9.8% |
| Young Adult (25 to 44) | 126,439 | 2 | 25.1% | 25.6% |
| Older Adult (45 to 64) | 124,895 | 2 | 24.8% | 23.5% |
| Seniors (65 and older) | 97,096 | 2 | 19.2% | 18.4% |
| Median Age | 40.4 | | | Median Age = 38.6 |
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau; Indiana Business Research Center
| Population Estimates by Race and Hispanic Origin, 2025 | Number | Rank of | Pct Dist.
in County | Pct Dist.
in State |
|---|
| American Indian or Alaska Native Alone | 6,032 | 2 | 1.2% | 0.8% |
| Asian Alone | 9,882 | 7 | 2.0% | 3.2% |
| Black Alone | 127,331 | 2 | 25.2% | 10.6% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pac. Isl. Alone | 422 | 3 | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| White | 340,320 | 2 | 67.4% | 81.2% |
| Two or More Race Groups | 20,625 | 3 | 4.1% | 4.2% |
| Non-Hispanic | 394,555 | 2 | 78.2% | 90.4% |
| Hispanic | 110,057 | 2 | 21.8% | 9.6% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
| Household Types | Number | Rank in State | Pct Dist.
in County | Pct Dist.
in State |
|---|
| Households in 2024 (Includes detail not shown below) | 195,130 | 2 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Married With Children | 30,792 | 3 | 15.8% | 17.9% |
| Married Without Children | 53,993 | 2 | 27.7% | 29.3% |
| Single Parents | 21,527 | 2 | 11.0% | 8.8% |
| Living Alone | 57,803 | 2 | 29.6% | 29.6% |
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 2025 (estimate) | 221,257 | 2 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Total Housing Units in 2024 (includes vacant units) | 217,436 | 2 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
Owner Occupied
(Pct. distribution based on all housing units) | 139,856 | 2 | 64.3% | 64.4% |
| Median Value (2024) | $230,600 | 17 | | |
Renter Occupied
(Pct. distribution based on all housing units) | 55,274 | 2 | 25.4% | 26.9% |
| Median Rent (2024) | $917 | 12 | | |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
| Education | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| School Enrollment (2025/2026 Total Reported) | 80,913 | 2 | 7.3% | 1,112,710 |
| Public | 71,770 | 2 | 7.1% | 1,010,042 |
| Adults (25+ in 2024 ACS) | 342,844 | 2 | 7.5% | 4,596,004 |
| with High School diploma or higher | 90.2% | 51 | | 90.4% |
| with B.A. or higher degree | 25.8% | 20 | | 29.5% |
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 2024 | $58,423 | 37 | 91.2% | 64,077 |
| Median Household Income in 2024 | 73,228 | 31 | 101.8% | $71,958 |
| Poverty Rate in 2024 | 13.3% | 27 | 109.9% | 12.1% |
| Poverty Rate among Children under 18 | 19.5% | 17 | 123.4% | 15.8% |
| Welfare (TANF) Monthly Average Families in 2025 | 620 | 2 | 12.7% | 4,863 |
| Food Stamp Recipients in 2025 | 59,605 | 2 | 10.3% | 578,293 |
| Free and Reduced Fee Lunch Recipients in 2025/2026 | 35,338 | 2 | 7.4% | 476,608 |
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, 2025 | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| Total Resident Labor Force | 243,484 | 2 | 6.9% | 3,506,284 |
| Employed | 231,085 | 2 | 6.8% | 3,377,760 |
| Unemployed | 12,399 | 2 | 9.6% | 128,524 |
| Annual Unemployment Rate | 5.1 | 2 | 137.8% | 3.7 |
| May 2026 Unemployment Rate | 4.3 | 2 | 134.4% | 3.2 |
Source: STATS Indiana, using data from the Indiana Department of Workforce Development
| Employment and Earnings by Industry, 2024 | Employment | Pct Dist.
in County | Earnings ($000) | Pct Dist.
In County | Avg. Earnings Per Job |
|---|
| Total by place of work | 257,144 | 100.0% | $17,918,144 | 100.0% | $69,681 |
| Wage and Salary | 200,724 | 78.1% | $13,139,528 | 73.3% | $65,461 |
| Farm Proprietors | 315 | 0.1% | $4,602 | 0.0% | $14,610 |
| Nonfarm Proprietors | 56,105 | 21.8% | $1,875,267 | 10.5% | $33,424 |
| Farm | 402 | 0.2% | $10,650 | 0.1% | $26,493 |
| Nonfarm | 256,742 | 99.8% | $17,907,494 | 99.9% | $69,749 |
| Private | 232,666 | 90.5% | $16,189,729 | 90.4% | $69,584 |
| Accommodation, Food Serv. | 22,571 | 8.8% | $906,073 | 5.1% | $40,143 |
| Arts, Ent., Recreation | 5,340 | 2.1% | $187,420 | 1.0% | $35,097 |
| Construction | 15,543 | 6.0% | $1,502,261 | 8.4% | $96,652 |
| Health Care, Social Serv. | 35,957 | 14.0% | $2,739,266 | 15.3% | $76,182 |
| Information | 1,827 | 0.7% | $124,950 | 0.7% | $68,391 |
| Manufacturing | 22,717 | 8.8% | $3,107,583 | 17.3% | $136,795 |
| Professional, Tech. Serv. | 12,325 | 4.8% | $933,341 | 5.2% | $75,727 |
| Retail Trade | 28,316 | 11.0% | $1,279,101 | 7.1% | $45,172 |
| Trans., Warehousing | 17,009 | 6.6% | $1,052,236 | 5.9% | $61,863 |
| Wholesale Trade | Data not available due to BEA non-disclosure requirements. |
| Other Private (not above) | 61,689* | 24.0%* | $3,055,646* | 17.1%* | $49,533* |
| Government | 24,076 | 9.4% | $1,717,765 | 9.6% | $71,348 |
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, 2025 | Units | Pct Dist.
in County | Pct Dist.
in State | Cost ($000) | State Cost ($000) |
|---|
| Total Permits Filed | 1,262 | 100.0% | 100.0% | $453,800 | $8,792,236 |
| Single-Family | 1,262 | 100.0% | 68.4% | $453,800 | $7,272,703 |
| 2-Family | 0 | 0.0% | 1.7% | 0 | $80,213 |
| 3- and 4-Family | 0 | 0.0% | 0.6% | $0 | $31,389 |
| 5+ Family | 0 | 0.0% | 29.3% | $0 | $1,407,931 |
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 2025 | Percent of County |
|---|
| Cedar Lake | 16,789 | 3.3% |
| Crown Point | 35,616 | 7.1% |
| Dyer | 16,273 | 3.2% |
| East Chicago | 25,610 | 5.1% |
| Gary | 67,289 | 13.3% |
| Griffith | 16,137 | 3.2% |
| Hammond | 75,712 | 15.0% |
| Highland | 23,409 | 4.6% |
| Hobart | 29,298 | 5.8% |
| Lake Station | 12,977 | 2.6% |
| Lowell | 11,853 | 2.3% |
| Merrillville | 37,407 | 7.4% |
| Munster | 23,504 | 4.7% |
| New Chicago | 1,988 | 0.4% |
| St. John | 24,841 | 4.9% |
| Schererville | 29,825 | 5.9% |
| Schneider | 261 | 0.1% |
| Whiting | 4,479 | 0.9% |
| Winfield | 9,140 | 1.8% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau annual population estimates
Hoosiers by the Numbers