Lake County, Indiana Demographics 2026

Name: Lake County, Indiana Demographics
Creator: U.S. Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Lake County, Indiana has a population of 500,379, the 2nd most populous county in Indiana. The median household income is $71,493 and the median home value is $230,600. The poverty rate is 14.3%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Lake County Quick Facts

Population 500,379

Median Household Income $71,493

Median Home Value $230,600

Poverty Rate 14.3%

Unemployment Rate 6.1%

Median Age 39.7 years

Homeownership Rate 71.7%

Affordability Ratio 3.2x

Bachelor's Degree+ 25.8%

High School Graduation 90.2%

Cities/Places 22

Population 500,379 2nd of 92

Median Income $71,493 about the same as state

Poverty Rate 14.3%

Unemployment 6.1%

How Lake County Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric	2019–2023	2020–2024	Change
Population	498,990	500,379	+0.3%
Median household income	$68,985	$71,493	+3.6%
Median home value	$214,700	$230,600	+7.4%

Median Household Income

Lake

$71,493

$71,957

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Lake

$230,600

$218,200

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 17.2%

$25K-$50K 18.4%

$50K-$100K 29.7%

$100K+ 34.7%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

6.3%

$10K-$15K

3.7%

$15K-$20K

3.0%

$20K-$25K

4.1%

$25K-$30K

3.4%

$30K-$35K

3.6%

$35K-$40K

3.5%

$40K-$45K

4.1%

$45K-$50K

3.8%

$50K-$60K

7.0%

$60K-$75K

9.6%

$75K-$100K

13.1%

$100K-$125K

10.0%

$125K-$150K

7.4%

$150K-$200K

9.0%

$200K+

8.3%

Employment

6.1% Unemployment Rate State: 4.3%|National: 5.2%

61.1% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 71.7%

Renter 28.3%

Affordability Index Affordable

3.2x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $1,131/mo 19.0% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

23.2%

18-34

20.6%

35-54

25.3%

55-74

23.9%

75+

7.1%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

High Diversity

A diverse community with significant representation from multiple racial and ethnic groups.

State average: 41 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Lake County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Hammond	76,768	$55,504	19.1%	$159,900
Gary	68,113	$38,731	33.1%	$94,700
Merrillville	36,476	$67,587	12.6%	$211,400
Crown Point	34,393	$101,686	6.9%	$294,800
Schererville	29,701	$89,466	7.7%	$314,900
Hobart	29,558	$75,160	10.0%	$215,200
East Chicago	26,022	$42,125	26.3%	$105,400
Munster	23,733	$110,187	6.0%	$334,300
Highland	23,680	$78,062	11.6%	$233,300
St. John	22,567	$131,467	2.1%	$406,300
Dyer	16,400	$107,159	6.2%	$322,200
Griffith	16,273	$76,636	7.1%	$210,100
Cedar Lake	15,295	$83,381	3.5%	$282,000
Lake Station	13,185	$59,591	15.4%	$137,400
Lowell	11,073	$84,024	5.5%	$248,000
Winfield	7,816	$135,870	5.9%	$409,500
Lakes of the Four Seasons	7,402	$121,750	3.1%	$337,300
Whiting	4,532	$71,708	17.1%	$198,900
New Chicago	2,225	$57,313	16.7%	$134,100
Lake Dalecarlia	1,169	$118,472	6.2%	$327,100
Schneider	230	$63,182	4.3%	$172,500
Shelby	164	$32,180	32.9%	N/A

Explore Indiana Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Lake County is located in Indiana with a total population of 500,379. It is the 2nd most populous county out of 92 in Indiana. The county encompasses 22 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Lake County is 39.7 years. This is 4% higher than the state median of 38.1 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Lake County is $71,493. This is about the same as the state median of $71,957. It is also 11% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 14.3%. This is 16% higher than the state poverty rate of 12.3%. The unemployment rate is 6.1%. This is 42% higher than the state rate of 4.3%. The median home value is $230,600. Housing costs are 6% higher than the state median of $218,200. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.2x. 71.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 2% higher than the state average of 70.5%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Lake County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 51.4% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 22.7%. The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the state average (22.7% vs 9.1%). The Hispanic or Latino population is significantly higher than the state average (20.9% vs 8.6%).

Education

25.8% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 12% lower than the state rate of 29.5%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 90.2%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Lake County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against Indiana and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Lake County, Indiana?

Lake County has a population of 500,379, making it the 2nd most populous county in Indiana.

What is the median income in Lake County?

The median household income in Lake County is $71,493 with a poverty rate of 14.3%.

How many cities are in Lake County, Indiana?

Lake County contains 22 Census-designated places.