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Porter County
IN Depth Profile
County Seat:     Valparaiso
Porter County, Indiana
Named in 1836 for War of 1812 Commodore David Porter
Largest City:     Portage (pop in 2006: 36,300
Population per Sq. Mile:     384.1     Sq. Miles:     418.1
Link to County's in.gov Site
Population Over TimeNumberRank in StatePercent of StateIndiana
Yesterday(1990)128,93292.3%5,544,156
Today(2007)160,57892.5%6,345,289
Tomorrow(2010 proj.)156,75592.4%6,417,198
Percent Change 1990 to 200013.9%23 9.7%
Sources: US Census Bureau; Indiana Business Research Center
Components of Population Change in 2007NumberRank in StatePercent of StateIndiana
Net Domestic Migration 2006 to 20071,4124 -505
Net International Migration 2006 to 200713012 9,038
Natural Increase (births minus deaths)820102.5%33,408
Source: US Census Bureau

Population Estimates by Age in 2006NumberRank in StatePct Dist.
in County
Pct Dist.
in State
Preschool (0 to 4)9,40195.9%6.8%
School Age (5 to 17)27,906817.4%18.2%
College Age (18 to 24)17,1451010.7%9.8%
Young Adult (25 to 44)43,111826.9%27.6%
Older Adult (45 to 64)44,461727.8%25.2%
Older (65 plus)18,081911.3%12.4%
Median Age37.0  Median Age = 36.3
Sources: US Census Bureau; Indiana Business Research Center

Population Estimates by Race or Hispanic Origin in 2006NumberRank in StatePct Dist.
in County
Pct Dist.
in State
American Indian or Alaska Native Alone40180.3%0.3%
Asian Alone1,729121.1%1.3%
Black Alone3,697182.3%8.9%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pac. Isl. Alone37160.0%0.0%
White Alone152,582895.3%88.3%
Two or More Race Groups1,65991.0%1.1%
Hispanic or Latino(can be of any race)    
Non-Hispanic or Latino150,095893.7%95.2%
Hispanic or Latino10,01076.3%4.8%
Source: US Census Bureau

Household TypesNumberRank in StatePct Dist.
in County
Pct Dist.
in State
Households in 2000 (Includes detail not shown below)54,6499100.0%100.0%
   Married With Children15,098727.6%23.8%
   Married Without Children17,569832.1%29.8%
   Single Parents4,029107.4%9.1%
   Living Alone12,1441322.2%25.9%
Source: US Census Bureau

HousingNumberRank in StatePct Dist.
in County
Pct Dist.
in State
Total Housing Units in 2006 (estimate)64,6219100.0%100.0%
Total Housing Units in 2000 (includes vacant units)57,6169100.0%100.0%
   Owner Occupied (Pct. distribution based on all housing units)
   Median Value (2000)
41,894
$127,000
8
5
72.7%
--
65.9%
--
   Renter Occupied (Pct. distribution based on all housing units)
   Median Rent (2000)
12,755
$625
12
3
22.1%
--
26.3%
--
Source: US Census Bureau

EducationNumberRank in StatePercent of StateIndiana
School Enrollment (2006/2007 Total Reported) 28,42182.5%1,154,826
   Public27,15972.6%1,045,702
   Private1,262921.2%109,124
High School Graduates (2005/2006)1,74382.8%62,296
   Going on to Higher Education1,41982.7%51,976
   4-year1,24583.2%38,334
   2-year73210.8%8,991
   Voc/tech.10192.2%4,651
Adults (25+ in 2000 Census)94,46282.4%3,893,278
   with High School diploma or higher88.3%4 82.1%
   with B.A. or higher degree22.6%10 19.4%
Sources: Indiana Department of Education; US Census Bureau
Notes: 1) School enrollment figures for 2006/2007 are preliminary. 2) Private enrollment includes home schools. 3) County rankings for high-school graduates continuing to higher education are subject to revision. Data from the Indiana Department of Education for Vigo County appear to include an erroneous entry. Until the data has been corrected by IDOE, Vigo will be removed from the rankings.

Income and PovertyNumberRank in StatePercent of StateIndiana
Per Capita Personal Income (annual) in 2006$37,6794116.7%$32,288
Median Household Income in 2005$56,4966128.3%$44,051
Poverty Rate in 20058.4%7368.9%12.2%
   Poverty Rate among Children under 1810.4%8362.7%16.6%
Welfare (TANF) Monthly Average Families in 2006437171.1%41,498
Food Stamp Recipients in 20068,453141.5%577,970
Free and Reduced Fee Lunch Recipients in 20066,024131.6%374,221
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis; US Census Bureau; Indiana Family Social Services Administration;
Indiana Department of Education

Health and Vital Statistics in 2005NumberRank in StatePercent of StateIndiana
Births1,79392.1%87,088
   Births to Teens135161.4%9,604
Deaths1,16082.1%55,623
Source: Indiana State Department of Health

Labor Force in 2007NumberRank in StatePercent of StateIndiana
Total Resident Labor Force82,50082.6%3,211,461
Employed79,31682.6%3,065,590
Unemployed3,18492.2%145,871
Unemployment Rate3.97586.7%4.5
March 2008 Unemployment Rate4.77583.9%5.6
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics; Indiana Department of Workforce Development

Employment and Earnings by Industry in 2006 (NAICS)EmploymentPct Dist.
in County
Earnings ($000)Pct Dist.
In County
Avg. Earnings Per Job
Total by place of work74,839100.0%$3,010,189100.0%$40,222
Wage and Salary61,16381.7%$2,211,56973.5%$36,159
Farm Proprietors4820.6%$4,9440.2%$10,257
Nonfarm Proprietors13,19417.6%$245,1428.1%$18,580
Farm5560.7%$6,7290.2%$12,103
Nonfarm74,28399.3%$3,003,46099.8%$40,433
Private64,65786.4%$2,575,54185.6%$39,834
  Accommodation, Food Serv.5,7897.7%$76,1522.5%$13,155
  Arts, Ent., Recreation1,2361.7%$13,8070.5%$11,171
  Construction6,4008.6%$304,52610.1%$47,582
  Health Care, Social Serv.5,8377.8%$251,8698.4%$43,150
  Information6840.9%$29,3441.0%$42,901
  Manufacturing9,08012.1%$852,96528.3%$93,939
  Professional, Tech. Serv.3,4634.6%$146,3114.9%$42,250
  Retail Trade8,63511.5%$190,6886.3%$22,083
  Trans., WarehousingData not available due to BEA non-disclosure requirements.
  Wholesale Trade3,3184.4%$179,5656.0%$54,118
  Other Private (not above)17,044*22.8%*$376,013*12.5%*$22,061*
Government9,62612.9%$427,91914.2%$44,454
Source: US Bureau of Economic Analysis
* These totals do not include county data that are not available due to BEA non-disclosure requirements.

Assessed Property Value in 1999 (for taxes payable in 2000)ValueRank in StatePct Dist.
in County
Pct Dist.
in State
Assessed Value by Property Class$1,733,624,7707100.0%100.0%
   Commercial & Industrial$782,148,100845.1%43.2%
   Residential$821,867,640647.4%41.5%
   Agricultural$27,567,130831.6%9.6%
   Utilities$102,041,90065.9%5.6%
Total Assesed Value Per Capita$11,85415  
Source: The State Board of Tax Commissioners

Residential Building Permits in 2006UnitsPct Dist.
in County
Pct Dist.
in State
Cost ($000)State Cost ($000)
Total Permits Filed1,052100.0%100.0%$224,467$4,687,933
   Single Family92688.0%84.1%$207,588$4,343,823
   Two Family706.7%3.5%$9,236$103,869
   Three & Four Family262.5%2.0%$2,063$41,336
   Five families and More302.9%10.4%$5,580$198,905
Source: US Census Bureau (Greene County totals are not included as it does not currently issue building permits.) Note: Detail cost may not sum to total due to rounding.

Commuting Patterns - Top 5 in 2006
Into Porter FROMNumberPercentOut of Porter TONumberPercent
All Areas14,32517.2%All Areas 34,87233.6%
Lake County6,4257.7%Lake County21,86121.1%
LaPorte County4,0854.9%Illinois6,7826.5%
Jasper County1,0461.3%LaPorte County3,3383.2%
Illinois8171.0%Out of state1,1011.1%
Starke County7560.9%Jasper County4360.4%
Source: Indiana Department of Revenue

  Cities and Towns in Porter County
 Population
in 2006
% of County
Beverly Shores7370.5%
Burns Harbor1,0150.6%
Chesterton12,4567.9%
Dune Acres2250.1%
Hebron3,6292.3%
Kouts1,8131.1%
Ogden Dunes1,2810.8%
Portage36,30022.9%
Porter5,3133.4%
Town of Pines7960.5%
Valparaiso29,51618.7%
 Order by Size
Portage
Valparaiso
Chesterton
Porter
Hebron
Kouts
Ogden Dunes
Burns Harbor
Town of Pines
Beverly Shores
Dune Acres

  Links to Maps:
  Census Tract Boundary Map of Porter county
  Tiger Mapping Service Map of Area
  Top of page


County Profiles is a component of STATS Indiana, a web-based information service of the State of Indiana and the Indiana Department of Workforce Development, developed and maintained by the Indiana Business Research Center at Indiana University's Kelley School of Business.
Updated: April 29, 2008 at 15:01