Porter County, Indiana
Named in 1836 for War of 1812 Commodore David Porter
County Seat: Valparaiso
Largest City: Portage (2010 population: 36,828)
Population per Square Mile: 393.07
Square Miles: 418.10
Go to county's in.gov site
| Population over Time | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| Yesterday (2000) | 146,798 | 9 | 2.4% | 6,080,485 |
| Today (2010) | 164,343 | 9 | 2.5% | 6,483,802 |
| Tomorrow (2015 projection)* | 171,122 | 8 | 2.6% | 6,581,875 |
| Percent Change 2000 to Today | 12.0% | 12 | | 6.6% |
*Projection based on 2005 population estimate.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau; Indiana Business Research Center
| Components of Population Change, 2008-2009 | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| Net Domestic Migration | 408 | 10 | | -6,805 |
| Net International Migration | 124 | 13 | | 9,194 |
| Natural Increase (births minus deaths) | 792 | 10 | 2.4% | 32,591 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
| Population Estimates by Age, 2010 | Number | Rank in State | Pct Dist.
in County | Pct Dist.
in State |
|---|
| Preschool (0 to 4) | 9,792 | 10 | 6.0% | 6.7% |
| School Age (5 to 17) | 30,129 | 7 | 18.3% | 18.1% |
| College Age (18 to 24) | 15,230 | 12 | 9.3% | 10.0% |
| Young Adult (25 to 44) | 42,020 | 9 | 25.6% | 25.7% |
| Older Adult (45 to 64) | 46,809 | 8 | 28.5% | 26.5% |
| Seniors (65 and older) | 20,363 | 8 | 12.4% | 13.0% |
| Median Age | 38.4 | | | Median Age = 37.0 |
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau; Indiana Business Research Center
| Population Estimates by Race and Hispanic Origin, 2010 | Number | Rank of | Pct Dist.
in County | Pct Dist.
in State |
|---|
| American Indian or Alaska Native Alone | 494 | 7 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| Asian Alone | 1,994 | 12 | 1.2% | 1.6% |
| Black Alone | 4,894 | 16 | 3.0% | 9.1% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pac. Isl. Alone | 36 | 17 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| White | 149,995 | 8 | 91.3% | 84.3% |
| Two or More Race Groups | 3,112 | 10 | 1.9% | 2.0% |
| Non-Hispanic | 150,410 | 9 | 91.5% | 94.0% |
| Hispanic | 13,933 | 6 | 8.5% | 6.0% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
| Household Types | Number | Rank in State | Pct Dist.
in County | Pct Dist.
in State |
|---|
| Households in 2010 (Includes detail not shown below) | 61,998 | 9 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Married With Children | 14,057 | 8 | 22.7% | 19.9% |
| Married Without Children | 20,482 | 7 | 33.0% | 29.7% |
| Single Parents | 5,110 | 10 | 8.2% | 10.0% |
| Living Alone | 14,438 | 11 | 23.3% | 26.9% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2005-2009 5-year estimates.
| Housing | Number | Rank in State | Pct Dist.
in County | Pct Dist.
in State |
|---|
| Total Housing Units in 2009 (estimate) | 66,588 | 9 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Total Housing Units in 2010 (includes vacant units) | 66,179 | 9 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
Owner Occupied
(Pct. distribution based on all housing units) | 47,277 | 8 | 71.4% | 62.5% |
| Median Value (2010) | $164,500 | 3 | | |
Renter Occupied
(Pct. distribution based on all housing units) | 14,721 | 13 | 22.2% | 27.0% |
| Median Rent (2010) | $658 | 3 | | |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2005-2009 5-year estimates.
| Education | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| School Enrollment (2010/2011 Total Reported) | 29,510 | 7 | 2.6% | 1,122,909 |
| Public | 28,166 | 7 | 2.7% | 1,046,556 |
| Adults (25+ in 2010 ACS) | 107,034 | 8 | 2.6% | 4,165,617 |
| with High School diploma or higher | 91.3% | 4 | | 86.2% |
| with B.A. or higher degree | 25.2% | 12 | | 22.4% |
Sources: Indiana Department of Education; U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2005-2009 5-year estimates.
| Income and Poverty | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| Per Capita Personal Income (annual) in 2009 | $41,110 | 3 | 120.8% | 34,022 |
| Median Household Income in 2010 | 56,648 | 7 | 127.0% | $44,616 |
| Poverty Rate in 2010 | 10.9% | 74 | 71.2% | 15.3% |
| Poverty Rate among Children under 18 | 13.5% | 84 | 62.5% | 21.6% |
| Welfare (TANF) Monthly Average Families in 2010 | 337 | 17 | 1.1% | 30,864 |
| Food Stamp Recipients in 2010 | 13,153 | 12 | 1.6% | 829,907 |
| Free and Reduced Fee Lunch Recipients in 2011 | 9,393 | 8 | 1.9% | 488,964 |
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, 2008 | 1,868 | 10 | 2.1% | 88,679 |
| Births to Teens, 2008 | 122 | 19 | 1.3% | 9,715 |
| Deaths, 2007 | 1,242 | 8 | 2.3% | 53,882 |
Source: Indiana State Department of Health
| Labor Force, 2010 | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| Total Resident Labor Force | 81,418 | 9 | 2.6% | 3,142,265 |
| Employed | 74,153 | 9 | 2.6% | 2,822,693 |
| Unemployed | 7,265 | 9 | 2.3% | 319,572 |
| Annual Unemployment Rate | 8.9 | 76 | 87.3% | 10.2 |
| December 2011 Unemployment Rate | 7.6 | 46 | 87.4% | 8.7 |
Source: STATS Indiana, using data from the Indiana Department of Workforce Development
| Employment and Earnings by Industry, 2009 | Employment | Pct Dist.
in County | Earnings ($000) | Pct Dist.
In County | Avg. Earnings Per Job |
|---|
| Total by place of work | 72,874 | 100.0% | $2,997,278 | 100.0% | $41,130 |
| Wage and Salary | 59,052 | 81.0% | $2,174,058 | 72.5% | $36,816 |
| Farm Proprietors | 445 | 0.6% | $14,998 | 0.5% | $33,703 |
| Nonfarm Proprietors | 13,377 | 18.4% | $257,887 | 8.6% | $19,278 |
| Farm | 499 | 0.7% | $17,238 | 0.6% | $34,545 |
| Nonfarm | 72,375 | 99.3% | $2,980,040 | 99.4% | $41,175 |
| Private | 64,709 | 88.8% | $2,608,829 | 87.0% | $40,316 |
| Accommodation, Food Serv. | 5,965 | 8.2% | $89,900 | 3.0% | $15,071 |
| Arts, Ent., Recreation | 1,258 | 1.7% | $13,323 | 0.4% | $10,591 |
| Construction | 4,604 | 6.3% | $247,375 | 8.3% | $53,730 |
| Health Care, Social Serv. | 7,992 | 11.0% | $406,647 | 13.6% | $50,882 |
| Information | 650 | 0.9% | $31,767 | 1.1% | $48,872 |
| Manufacturing | 9,332 | 12.8% | $726,888 | 24.3% | $77,892 |
| Professional, Tech. Serv. | 3,558 | 4.9% | $159,541 | 5.3% | $44,840 |
| Retail Trade | 8,384 | 11.5% | $202,694 | 6.8% | $24,176 |
| Trans., Warehousing | Data not available due to BEA non-disclosure requirements. |
| Wholesale Trade | 2,496 | 3.4% | $145,345 | 4.8% | $58,231 |
| Other Private (not above) | 17,968* | 24.7%* | $448,670* | 15.0%* | $24,971* |
| Government | 7,666 | 10.5% | $371,211 | 12.4% | $48,423 |
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, 2010 | Units | Pct Dist.
in County | Pct Dist.
in State | Cost ($000) | State Cost ($000) |
|---|
| Total Permits Filed | 251 | 100.0% | 100.0% | $65,601 | $1,960,774 |
| Single-Family | 243 | 96.8% | 74.7% | $64,310 | $1,714,875 |
| 2-Family | 4 | 1.6% | 3.0% | 602 | $33,796 |
| 3- and 4-Family | 4 | 1.6% | 2.9% | $689 | $35,216 |
| 5+ Family | 0 | 0.0% | 19.4% | $0 | $176,887 |
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 Porter County
| Name | Population
in 2010 | Percent of County |
|---|
| Beverly Shores | 613 | 0.4% | | Burns Harbor | 1,156 | 0.7% | | Chesterton | 13,068 | 8.0% | | Dune Acres | 182 | 0.1% | | Hebron | 3,724 | 2.3% | | Kouts | 1,879 | 1.1% | | Lakes of the Four Seasons | 3,097 | 1.9%* | | Ogden Dunes | 1,110 | 0.7% | | Portage | 36,828 | 22.4% | | Porter | 4,858 | 3.0% | | South Haven | 5,282 | 3.2% | | Town of Pines | 708 | 0.4% | | Valparaiso | 31,730 | 19.3% | | * This place crosses county lines, so only population in this county is shown. |
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