Lake County, Indiana
Named for Lake Michigan and organized in 1837
County Seat: Crown Point
Largest City: Hammond (2021 population: 76,984)
Population per Square Mile: 999.11
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 (2021) | 498,558 | 2 | 7.3% | 6,813,532 |
| Tomorrow (2030 projection)* | 516,195 | 2 | 7.2% | 7,143,795 |
| Percent Change 2010 to Today | 0.5% | 39 | | 5.1% |
*Projection based on 2010 Census counts.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau; Indiana Business Research Center
| Components of Population Change, 2020-2021 | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| Net Domestic Migration | 472 | 13 | | 5,230 |
| Net International Migration | 102 | 8 | | 15,490 |
| Natural Increase (births minus deaths) | -710 | 92 | -69.3% | 1,024 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
| Population Estimates by Age, 2021 | Number | Rank in State | Pct Dist.
in County | Pct Dist.
in State |
|---|
| Preschool (0 to 4) | 28,902 | 2 | 5.8% | 6.0% |
| School Age (5 to 17) | 87,290 | 2 | 17.5% | 17.3% |
| College Age (18 to 24) | 42,621 | 3 | 8.5% | 9.7% |
| Young Adult (25 to 44) | 125,537 | 2 | 25.2% | 25.7% |
| Older Adult (45 to 64) | 128,168 | 2 | 25.7% | 24.9% |
| Seniors (65 and older) | 86,040 | 2 | 17.3% | 16.4% |
| Median Age | 39.6 | | | Median Age = 38.1 |
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau; Indiana Business Research Center
| Population Estimates by Race and Hispanic Origin, 2021 | Number | Rank of | Pct Dist.
in County | Pct Dist.
in State |
|---|
| American Indian or Alaska Native Alone | 2,864 | 2 | 0.6% | 0.4% |
| Asian Alone | 8,595 | 6 | 1.7% | 2.7% |
| Black Alone | 122,185 | 2 | 24.5% | 10.2% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pac. Isl. Alone | 338 | 4 | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| White | 353,999 | 2 | 71.0% | 84.2% |
| Two or More Race Groups | 10,577 | 3 | 2.1% | 2.3% |
| Non-Hispanic | 397,039 | 2 | 79.6% | 92.3% |
| Hispanic | 101,519 | 2 | 20.4% | 7.7% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
| Household Types | Number | Rank in State | Pct Dist.
in County | Pct Dist.
in State |
|---|
| Households in 2021 (Includes detail not shown below) | 190,191 | 2 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Married With Children | 30,900 | 3 | 16.2% | 18.2% |
| Married Without Children | 52,819 | 2 | 27.8% | 29.8% |
| Single Parents | 22,291 | 2 | 11.7% | 9.2% |
| Living Alone | 55,368 | 2 | 29.1% | 29.1% |
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 2021 (estimate) | 216,228 | 2 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Total Housing Units in 2021 (includes vacant units) | 214,176 | 2 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
Owner Occupied
(Pct. distribution based on all housing units) | 134,389 | 2 | 62.7% | 62.9% |
| Median Value (2021) | $167,800 | 19 | | |
Renter Occupied
(Pct. distribution based on all housing units) | 55,802 | 2 | 26.1% | 27.2% |
| Median Rent (2021) | $771 | 10 | | |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
| Education | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| School Enrollment (2021/2022 Total Reported) | 82,746 | 2 | 7.4% | 1,120,155 |
| Public | 75,920 | 2 | 7.3% | 1,036,519 |
| Adults (25+ in 2021 ACS) | 336,230 | 2 | 7.5% | 4,501,214 |
| with High School diploma or higher | 89.8% | 42 | | 89.8% |
| with B.A. or higher degree | 23.7% | 24 | | 27.8% |
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 2021 | $53,181 | 29 | 94.1% | 56,497 |
| Median Household Income in 2021 | 61,468 | 44 | 98.0% | $62,723 |
| Poverty Rate in 2021 | 13.9% | 22 | 114.9% | 12.1% |
| Poverty Rate among Children under 18 | 20.0% | 20 | 127.4% | 15.7% |
| 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 2021/2022 | 40,140 | 2 | 8.3% | 481,568 |
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% | 80,851 |
| 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, 2021 | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| Total Resident Labor Force | 222,818 | 2 | 6.6% | 3,355,642 |
| Employed | 209,298 | 2 | 6.5% | 3,225,060 |
| Unemployed | 13,520 | 2 | 10.4% | 130,582 |
| Annual Unemployment Rate | 6.1 | 2 | 156.4% | 3.9 |
| January 2023 Unemployment Rate | 4.9 | 4 | 144.1% | 3.4 |
Source: STATS Indiana, using data from the Indiana Department of Workforce Development
| Employment and Earnings by Industry, 2021 | Employment | Pct Dist.
in County | Earnings ($000) | Pct Dist.
In County | Avg. Earnings Per Job |
|---|
| Total by place of work | 243,443 | 100.0% | $14,975,461 | 100.0% | $61,515 |
| Wage and Salary | 194,422 | 79.9% | $11,027,909 | 73.6% | $56,722 |
| Farm Proprietors | 318 | 0.1% | $16,896 | 0.1% | $53,132 |
| Nonfarm Proprietors | 48,703 | 20.0% | $1,430,660 | 9.6% | $29,375 |
| Farm | 414 | 0.2% | $20,104 | 0.1% | $48,560 |
| Nonfarm | 243,029 | 99.8% | $14,955,357 | 99.9% | $61,537 |
| Private | 218,990 | 90.0% | $13,422,300 | 89.6% | $61,292 |
| Accommodation, Food Serv. | 20,889 | 8.6% | $608,813 | 4.1% | $29,145 |
| Arts, Ent., Recreation | 5,464 | 2.2% | $187,479 | 1.3% | $34,312 |
| Construction | 15,001 | 6.2% | $1,292,582 | 8.6% | $86,166 |
| Health Care, Social Serv. | 35,890 | 14.7% | $2,481,965 | 16.6% | $69,155 |
| Information | 1,501 | 0.6% | $89,292 | 0.6% | $59,488 |
| Manufacturing | 21,849 | 9.0% | $2,718,506 | 18.2% | $124,422 |
| Professional, Tech. Serv. | 11,111 | 4.6% | $643,509 | 4.3% | $57,916 |
| Retail Trade | 27,554 | 11.3% | $1,050,946 | 7.0% | $38,141 |
| Trans., Warehousing | 15,809 | 6.5% | $913,852 | 6.1% | $57,806 |
| Wholesale Trade | Data not available due to BEA non-disclosure requirements. |
| Other Private (not above) | 55,477* | 22.8%* | $2,429,703* | 16.2%* | $43,797* |
| Government | 24,039 | 9.9% | $1,533,057 | 10.2% | $63,774 |
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, 2021 | Units | Pct Dist.
in County | Pct Dist.
in State | Cost ($000) | State Cost ($000) |
|---|
| Total Permits Filed | 1,755 | 100.0% | 100.0% | $496,149 | $7,583,249 |
| Single-Family | 1,735 | 98.9% | 74.4% | $493,566 | $6,692,956 |
| 2-Family | 8 | 0.5% | 2.4% | 740 | $117,031 |
| 3- and 4-Family | 12 | 0.7% | 0.4% | $1,843 | $30,324 |
| 5+ Family | 0 | 0.0% | 22.7% | $0 | $742,937 |
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 2021 | Percent of County |
|---|
| Cedar Lake | 14,693 | 2.9% |
| Crown Point | 34,621 | 6.9% |
| Dyer | 16,441 | 3.3% |
| East Chicago | 26,099 | 5.2% |
| Gary | 68,325 | 13.7% |
| Griffith | 16,331 | 3.3% |
| Hammond | 76,984 | 15.4% |
| Highland | 23,672 | 4.7% |
| Hobart | 29,521 | 5.9% |
| Lake Station | 13,160 | 2.6% |
| Lowell | 10,972 | 2.2% |
| Merrillville | 36,524 | 7.3% |
| Munster | 23,761 | 4.8% |
| New Chicago | 1,980 | 0.4% |
| St. John | 21,448 | 4.3% |
| Schererville | 29,589 | 5.9% |
| Schneider | 263 | 0.1% |
| Whiting | 4,539 | 0.9% |
| Winfield | 7,481 | 1.5% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau annual population estimates
Hoosiers by the Numbers