Gary, IN Metro Area

Counties include: Lake, Porter

Largest City: Hammond (2024 population: 76,030)

Population per Square Mile: 740.1

Square Miles: 917.2

Population over Time	Number	Rank in State	Percent of State	Indiana
Yesterday (2020)	671,915	2	9.9%	6,785,528
Today (2024)	678,815	2	9.8%	6,924,275
Tomorrow (2030 projection)*	682,783	2	9.7%	7,013,509
Percent Change 2020 to Today	1.0%	5		2.0%

*Projection based on 2020 Census population estimates.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau; Indiana Business Research Center

Components of Population Change, 2023-2024	Number	Rank of 12	Percent of State	Indiana
Net Domestic Migration	1,679	3		4,268
Net International Migration	1,183	6		30,852
Natural Increase (births minus deaths)	95	6	1.0%	9,159

Source: U.S. Census Bureau

Population Estimates by Age, 2024	Number	Rank of 12	Pct Dist. in Region	Pct Dist. in State
Preschool (0 to 4)	36,430	3	5.4%	5.9%
School Age (5 to 17)	114,181	2	16.8%	17.0%
College Age (18 to 24)	57,596	2	8.5%	9.7%
Young Adult (25 to 44)	171,604	2	25.3%	25.9%
Older Adult (45 to 64)	170,264	2	25.1%	23.9%
Seniors (65 and older)	128,740	2	19.0%	17.5%

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau; Indiana Business Research Center

Population Estimates by Race and Hispanic Origin, 2024	Number	Rank of 12	Pct Dist. in Region	Pct Dist. in State
American Indian or Alaska Native Alone	3,547	2	0.5%	0.5%
Asian Alone	12,416	4	1.8%	3.1%
Black Alone	132,712	2	19.6%	10.6%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pac. Isl. Alone	470	4	0.1%	0.1%
White	514,536	2	75.8%	83.2%
Two or More Race Groups	15,134	3	2.2%	2.5%
Hispanic or Latino Origin (can be of any race)
Non-Hispanic	548,386	2	80.8%	90.9%
Hispanic	130,429	2	19.2%	9.1%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau

Household Types	Number	Rank of 12	Pct Dist. in Region	Pct Dist. in State
Households in 2023 (includes detail not shown below)	261,523	2	100.0%	100.0%
Married With Children	44,637	4	17.1%	18.1%
Married Without Children	75,065	2	28.7%	29.3%
Single Parents	27,610	1	10.6%	8.9%
Living Alone	75,690	2	28.9%	29.6%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates.

Housing	Number	Rank of 12	Pct Dist. in Region	Pct Dist. in State
Total Housing Units in 2024 (estimate)	293,330	2	100.0%	100.0%
Total Housing Units in 2023 (includes vacant units)	288,432	2	100.0%	100.0%
Owner Occupied (Pct. distribution based on all housing units)	189,648	2	65.8%	63.9%
Renter Occupied (Pct. distribution based on all housing units)	71,875	2	24.9%	26.9%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates.

Education	Number	Rank of 12	Percent of State	Indiana
School Enrollment (2024/2025 Total Reported)	109,649	2	9.7%	1,132,621
Public	99,050	2	9.6%	1,033,552

Sources: Indiana Department of Education; U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates.

Income and Poverty	Number	Rank of 12	Percent of State	Indiana
Per Capita Personal Income (annual) in 2023	$58,956	3	96.3%	$61,243
Welfare (TANF) Monthly Average Families in 2024	560	2	11.6%	4,813
Food Stamp Recipients in 2024	70,346	2	11.6%	608,295
Free and Reduced Fee Lunch Recipients in 2024/2025	43,317	2	8.9%	488,145

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 12	Percent of State	Indiana
Births, 2021	7,088	3	8.9%	79,946
Births to Teens, 2021	320	2	8.3%	3,845
Deaths, 2019	6,831	2	10.3%	66,005

Source: Indiana State Department of Health

Labor Force, 2024	Number	Rank of 12	Percent of State	Indiana
Total Resident Labor Force	327,326	2	9.5%	3,455,992
Employed	309,642	2	9.4%	3,310,992
Unemployed	17,684	2	12.2%	145,000
Annual Unemployment Rate	5.4	2	128.6%	4.2
May 2025 Unemployment Rate	4.6	2	135.3%	3.4

Source: STATS Indiana, using data from the Indiana Department of Workforce Development

Employment and Earnings by Industry, 2023	Employment	Pct Dist. in Region	Earnings ($000)	Pct Dist. In Region	Avg. Earnings Per Job
Total by place of work	345,039	100.0%	$22,468,961	100.0%	$65,120
Wage and Salary	267,692	77.6%	$16,498,218	73.4%	$61,631
Farm Proprietors	697	0.2%	$32,688	0.1%	$46,898
Nonfarm Proprietors	76,650	22.2%	$2,366,790	10.5%	$30,878
Farm	857	0.2%	$42,428	0.2%	$49,508
Nonfarm	344,182	99.8%	$22,426,533	99.8%	$65,159
Private	312,826	90.7%	$20,305,608	90.4%	$64,910
Accommodation, Food Serv.	29,952	8.7%	$950,793	4.2%	$31,744
Arts, Ent., Recreation	6,497	1.9%	$193,347	0.9%	$29,759
Construction	21,931	6.4%	$2,022,647	9.0%	$92,228
Health Care, Social Serv.	45,827	13.3%	$3,365,999	15.0%	$73,450
Information	2,956	0.9%	$168,777	0.8%	$57,096
Manufacturing	32,533	9.4%	$4,100,461	18.2%	$126,040
Professional, Tech. Serv.	16,847	4.9%	$1,238,988	5.5%	$73,544
Retail Trade	37,628	10.9%	$1,582,225	7.0%	$42,049
Trans., Warehousing	21,904	6.3%	$1,299,164	5.8%	$59,312
Wholesale Trade	Data not available due to BEA non-disclosure requirements.
Other Private (not above)	84,081*	24.4%*	$3,866,573*	17.2%*	$45,986*
Government	31,356	9.1%	$2,120,925	9.4%	$67,640

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, 2024	Units	Pct Dist. in Region	Pct Dist. in State	Cost ($000)	State Cost ($000)
Total Permits Filed	2,205	100.0%	100.0%	$696,009	$8,133,071
Single-Family	2,177	98.7%	75.4%	$691,646	$6,951,719
2-Family	6	0.3%	1.9%	$867	$100,498
3- and 4-Family	8	0.4%	0.8%	$1,120	$45,624
5+ Family	14	0.6%	21.9%	$2,376	$1,035,231

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 Gary, IN Metro Area

Name	Population in 2024	Percent of Region
Crown Point	35,097	5.2%
East Chicago	25,768	3.8%
Gary	67,555	10.0%
Hammond	76,030	11.2%
Hobart	29,418	4.3%
Merrillville	36,989	5.4%
Portage	38,576	5.7%
Schererville	29,780	4.4%
St. John	24,250	3.6%
Valparaiso	35,065	5.2%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau annual population estimates