Lake County, Indiana
Named for Lake Michigan and organized in 1837
County Seat: Crown Point
Largest City: Hammond (2012 population: 79,686)
Population per Square Mile: 989.21
Square Miles: 499.00
Go to county's in.gov site
| Population over Time | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
| Yesterday (2010) | 496,005 | 2 | 7.6% | 6,483,800 |
| Today (2012) | 493,618 | 2 | 7.6% | 6,537,334 |
| Tomorrow (2020 projection)* | 507,724 | 2 | 7.4% | 6,852,121 |
| Percent Change 2010 to Today | -0.5% | 51 | | 0.8% |
*Projection based on 2010 Census counts.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau; Indiana Business Research Center
| Components of Population Change, 2011-2012 | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
| Net Domestic Migration | -3,395 | 92 | | -13,291 |
| Net International Migration | 166 | 9 | | 8,708 |
| Natural Increase (births minus deaths) | 1,685 | 4 | 6.6% | 25,645 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
| Population Estimates by Age, 2011 | Number | Rank in State | Pct Dist. in County | Pct Dist. in State |
|---|
| Preschool (0 to 4) | 32,881 | 2 | 6.6% | 6.6% |
| School Age (5 to 17) | 92,592 | 2 | 18.7% | 17.9% |
| College Age (18 to 24) | 43,190 | 3 | 8.7% | 10.1% |
| Young Adult (25 to 44) | 125,036 | 2 | 25.2% | 25.6% |
| Older Adult (45 to 64) | 135,436 | 2 | 27.3% | 26.7% |
| Seniors (65 and older) | 66,423 | 2 | 13.4% | 13.2% |
| Median Age | 37.7 | | | Median Age = 37.1 |
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau; Indiana Business Research Center
| Population Estimates by Race and Hispanic Origin, 2011 | Number | Rank of | Pct Dist. in County | Pct Dist. in State |
|---|
| American Indian or Alaska Native Alone | 2,415 | 2 | 0.5% | 0.4% |
| Asian Alone | 6,775 | 6 | 1.4% | 1.7% |
| Black Alone | 128,488 | 2 | 25.9% | 9.4% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pac. Isl. Alone | 276 | 3 | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| White | 349,546 | 2 | 70.5% | 86.8% |
| Two or More Race Groups | 8,058 | 3 | 1.6% | 1.7% |
| Non-Hispanic | 411,263 | 2 | 83.0% | 93.8% |
| Hispanic | 84,295 | 2 | 17.0% | 6.2% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
| Household Types | Number | Rank in State | Pct Dist. in County | Pct Dist. in State |
|---|
| Households in 2011 (Includes detail not shown below) | 183,198 | 2 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Married With Children | 34,155 | 2 | 18.6% | 20.5% |
| Married Without Children | 49,664 | 2 | 27.1% | 30.1% |
| Single Parents | 21,256 | 2 | 11.6% | 9.8% |
| Living Alone | 53,077 | 2 | 29.0% | 27.5% |
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 2010 (estimate) | 208,750 | 2 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Total Housing Units in 2011 (includes vacant units) | 208,488 | 2 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
Owner Occupied (Pct. distribution based on all housing units) | 129,462 | 2 | 62.1% | 63.0% |
| Median Value (2011) | $136,400 | 16 | | |
Renter Occupied (Pct. distribution based on all housing units) | 53,736 | 2 | 25.8% | 25.6% |
| Median Rent (2011) | $624 | 8 | | |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
| Education | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| School Enrollment (2012/2013 Total Reported) | 92,272 | 2 | 8.3% | 1,115,499 |
| Public | 85,268 | 2 | 8.2% | 1,039,411 |
| Adults (25+ in 2011 ACS) | 324,477 | 2 | 7.7% | 4,199,481 |
| with High School diploma or higher | 86.5% | 36 | | 86.6% |
| with B.A. or higher degree | 19.5% | 24 | | 22.7% |
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 2011 | $34,847 | 32 | 97.6% | 35,689 |
| Median Household Income in 2011 | 48,143 | 28 | 103.7% | $46,410 |
| Poverty Rate in 2011 | 19.3% | 11 | 122.2% | 15.8% |
| Poverty Rate among Children under 18 | 30.2% | 5 | 133.6% | 22.6% |
| Welfare (TANF) Monthly Average Families in 2010 | 4,182 | 2 | 13.6% | 30,864 |
| Food Stamp Recipients in 2010 | 88,211 | 2 | 10.6% | 829,907 |
| Free and Reduced Fee Lunch Recipients in 2013 | 47,910 | 2 | 9.4% | 509,427 |
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, 2010 | 6,488 | 2 | 7.7% | 83,867 |
| Births to Teens, 2009 | 811 | 2 | 8.6% | 9,484 |
| Deaths, 2010 | 4,487 | 2 | 7.9% | 56,635 |
Source: Indiana State Department of Health
| Labor Force, 2012 | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| Total Resident Labor Force | 220,312 | 2 | 7.0% | 3,149,743 |
| Employed | 199,406 | 2 | 6.9% | 2,885,750 |
| Unemployed | 20,906 | 2 | 7.9% | 263,993 |
| Annual Unemployment Rate | 9.5 | 24 | 113.1% | 8.4 |
| April 2013 Unemployment Rate | 9.7 | 12 | 121.2% | 8.0 |
Source: STATS Indiana, using data from the Indiana Department of Workforce Development
| Employment and Earnings by Industry, 2011 | Employment | Pct Dist. in County | Earnings ($000) | Pct Dist. In County | Avg. Earnings Per Job |
|---|
| Total by place of work | 240,979 | 100.0% | $12,168,135 | 100.0% | $50,495 |
| Wage and Salary | 200,483 | 83.2% | $8,864,470 | 72.8% | $44,216 |
| Farm Proprietors | 359 | 0.1% | $23,539 | 0.2% | $65,568 |
| Nonfarm Proprietors | 40,137 | 16.7% | $935,816 | 7.7% | $23,316 |
| Farm | 520 | 0.2% | $28,224 | 0.2% | $54,277 |
| Nonfarm | 240,459 | 99.8% | $12,139,911 | 99.8% | $50,486 |
| Private | 211,181 | 87.6% | $10,615,576 | 87.2% | $50,268 |
| Accommodation, Food Serv. | 17,736 | 7.4% | $314,804 | 2.6% | $17,749 |
| Arts, Ent., Recreation | 8,114 | 3.4% | $279,857 | 2.3% | $34,491 |
| Construction | 16,886 | 7.0% | $1,419,180 | 11.7% | $84,045 |
| Health Care, Social Serv. | 35,112 | 14.6% | $1,835,868 | 15.1% | $52,286 |
| Information | 1,911 | 0.8% | $88,347 | 0.7% | $46,231 |
| Manufacturing | 24,591 | 10.2% | $2,636,182 | 21.7% | $107,201 |
| Professional, Tech. Serv. | 9,340 | 3.9% | $426,618 | 3.5% | $45,676 |
| Retail Trade | 27,997 | 11.6% | $906,209 | 7.4% | $32,368 |
| Trans., Warehousing | 9,668 | 4.0% | $507,558 | 4.2% | $52,499 |
| Wholesale Trade | 6,538 | 2.7% | $465,315 | 3.8% | $71,171 |
| Other Private (not above) | 53,288 | 22.1% | $1,735,638 | 14.3% | $32,571 |
| Government | 29,278 | 12.1% | $1,524,335 | 12.5% | $52,064 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis
| Residential Building Permits, 2012 | Units | Pct Dist. in County | Pct Dist. in State | Cost ($000) | State Cost ($000) |
|---|
| Total Permits Filed | 819 | 100.0% | 100.0% | $164,104 | $2,349,911 |
| Single-Family | 675 | 82.4% | 73.4% | $154,783 | $2,063,972 |
| 2-Family | 14 | 1.7% | 1.9% | 1,389 | $23,703 |
| 3- and 4-Family | 38 | 4.6% | 1.6% | $3,993 | $15,508 |
| 5+ Family | 92 | 11.2% | 23.1% | $3,940 | $246,728 |
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 2012 | Percent of County |
|---|
| Cedar Lake | 11,664 | 2.4% | | Crown Point | 28,171 | 5.7% | | Dyer | 16,379 | 3.3% | | East Chicago | 29,476 | 6.0% | | Gary | 79,170 | 16.0% | | Griffith | 16,726 | 3.4% | | Hammond | 79,686 | 16.1% | | Highland | 23,458 | 4.8% | | Hobart | 28,735 | 5.8% | | Lake Station | 12,392 | 2.5% | | Lowell | 9,340 | 1.9% | | Merrillville | 35,631 | 7.2% | | Munster | 23,413 | 4.7% | | New Chicago | 2,017 | 0.4% | | St. John | 15,335 | 3.1% | | Schererville | 29,101 | 5.9% | | Schneider | 275 | 0.1% | | Whiting | 4,937 | 1.0% | | Winfield | 4,884 | 1.0% |
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