Porter County, Indiana Demographics 2026

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

Porter County, Indiana has a population of 174,818, the 10th most populous county in Indiana. The median household income is $87,972 and the median home value is $281,500. The poverty rate is 9.6%.

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

Porter County Quick Facts

Population 174,818

Median Household Income $87,972

Median Home Value $281,500

Poverty Rate 9.6%

Unemployment Rate 4.7%

Median Age 40.8 years

Homeownership Rate 77.7%

Affordability Ratio 3.2x

Bachelor's Degree+ 31.1%

High School Graduation 94.0%

Cities/Places 16

Population 174,818 10th of 92

Median Income $87,972 22% higher than state

Poverty Rate 9.6%

Unemployment 4.7%

How Porter 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	174,150	174,818	+0.4%
Median household income	$85,828	$87,972	+2.5%
Median home value	$261,900	$281,500	+7.5%

Median Household Income

Porter

$87,972

$71,957

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Porter

$281,500

$218,200

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 11.3%

$25K-$50K 16.4%

$50K-$100K 29.0%

$100K+ 43.3%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

3.5%

$10K-$15K

2.2%

$15K-$20K

2.2%

$20K-$25K

3.4%

$25K-$30K

3.0%

$30K-$35K

3.5%

$35K-$40K

3.3%

$40K-$45K

3.2%

$45K-$50K

3.4%

$50K-$60K

6.5%

$60K-$75K

9.5%

$75K-$100K

12.9%

$100K-$125K

12.8%

$125K-$150K

7.9%

$150K-$200K

11.4%

$200K+

11.2%

Employment

4.7% Unemployment Rate State: 4.3%|National: 5.2%

62.9% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 77.7%

Renter 22.3%

Affordability Index Affordable

3.2x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $1,219/mo 16.6% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

21.3%

18-34

20.7%

35-54

26.4%

55-74

24.5%

75+

7.0%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Low Diversity

A less diverse community where one racial or ethnic group represents a large majority.

State average: 41 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Porter County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Portage	38,082	$76,276	11.6%	$224,200
Valparaiso	34,733	$69,872	14.9%	$267,300
Chesterton	14,446	$91,060	9.3%	$300,900
South Haven	7,241	$76,003	12.7%	$178,200
Porter	5,217	$74,542	10.5%	$267,700
Hebron	3,976	$73,812	6.3%	$202,800
Shorewood Forest	3,263	$165,972	8.6%	$479,100
Kouts	2,372	$77,607	4.2%	$235,400
Burns Harbor	2,155	$98,500	11.5%	$241,500
Salt Creek Commons	1,843	$94,167	8.4%	$198,300
Aberdeen	1,490	$94,926	1.4%	$367,100
Ogden Dunes	1,140	$117,000	4.0%	$492,300
Beverly Shores	650	$119,948	5.1%	$606,900
Town of Pines	530	$55,000	15.8%	$159,000
Dune Acres	293	$163,333	4.1%	$809,200
Wheeler	283	N/A	7.1%	$202,300

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

Porter County is located in Indiana with a total population of 174,818. It is the 10th most populous county out of 92 in Indiana. The county encompasses 16 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Porter County is 40.8 years. This is 7% higher than the state median of 38.1 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Porter County is $87,972. This is 22% higher than the state median of $71,957. It is also 9% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 9.6%. This is 22% lower than the state poverty rate of 12.3%. The unemployment rate is 4.7%. This is 10% higher than the state rate of 4.3%. The median home value is $281,500. Housing costs are 29% higher than the state median of $218,200. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.2x. 77.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 10% higher than the state average of 70.5%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Porter County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 79.1% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 11.7%. The Black or African American population (4.3%) is well below the state average of 9.1%.

Education

31.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 5% higher 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 94.0%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Porter 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 Porter County, Indiana?

Porter County has a population of 174,818, making it the 10th most populous county in Indiana.

What is the median income in Porter County?

The median household income in Porter County is $87,972 with a poverty rate of 9.6%.

How many cities are in Porter County, Indiana?

Porter County contains 16 Census-designated places.