Population 17,741 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Griffith
Household size in Griffith
| Period | Griffith | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.62 | 2.79 | 2.57 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.67 | 2.82 | 2.59 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.45 | 2.75 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.37 | 2.66 | 2.54 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.24 | −0.12 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Households in Griffith are small: just 2.37 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.62, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Griffith
| Period | Griffith | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.4 | 36.8 | 37.5 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 36.0 | 37.8 | 38.4 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 39.0 | 38.9 | 39.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 38.3 | 39.7 | 39.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | −0.1 | +3.0 | +1.7 | +2.3 |
The median resident of Griffith is 38.3 years old, a few years younger than the national median of 40.1. That is in line with the rest of the Chicago area.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Griffith
| Period | Griffith | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.5% | 12.0% | 11.8% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 15.6% | 12.0% | 12.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 12.8% | 11.2% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 17.1% | 11.5% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | +4.6 pts | −0.5 pts | −0.1 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in six households in Griffith (17.1%), well above the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is up 4.6 points from 2006–10, even as the national share fell. Of the 187 Indiana cities with 5,000+ people, only five have a higher share of single-parent households.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Griffith
Renters in Griffith
| Period | Griffith | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 31.6% | 32.1% | 28.5% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 32.3% | 34.8% | 30.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 29.5% | 35.5% | 30.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 26.8% | 34.5% | 29.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | −4.7 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
More than a quarter of households in Griffith rent their homes (26.8%), below the national share of 34.8%; the rest own. Nearly a third of owners (32.0%) have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the northeast and least common in the south. The renter share is down 4.7 points from 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Griffith
| Period | Griffith | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.2% | 9.8% | 11.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 7.5% | 9.8% | 11.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.4% | 8.9% | 10.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 5.9% | 7.2% | 9.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.3 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.0 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in Griffith than nationally: 5.9%, against 9.6% for the U.S. That is in line with the rest of the Chicago area. Since 2006–10, vacancy has edged down 1.3 points, mirroring the country.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Griffith
| Period | Griffith | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1968 | 1966 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1967 | 1967 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1968 | 1967 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1966 | 1970 | 1977 | 1980 |
| Change | −2 | +4 | +5 | +6 |
The housing in Griffith is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1966, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. Newer construction is concentrated in the southwest, while the center has the oldest housing. Griffith has older homes than at least four in five Indiana cities.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Griffith
| Period | Griffith | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $773 | $1,060 | $763 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $838 | $1,142 | $819 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $933 | $1,306 | $903 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,213 | $1,602 | $1,146 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$440 | +$542 | +$384 | +$606 |
Rent in Griffith runs $1,213 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $440 a month since 2006–10, up 57%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 35.7% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the northwest; the highest are in the southeast.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Griffith
Bachelor's degrees in Griffith
| Period | Griffith | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 19.2% | 33.9% | 23.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 16.5% | 35.2% | 24.6% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 20.5% | 37.9% | 27.1% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 27.1% | 40.9% | 30.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +7.8 pts | +7.0 pts | +6.2 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are less common in Griffith than nationally: 27.1% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 7.8 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the center and least in the east.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Griffith
| Period | Griffith | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 89.9% | 85.6% | 86.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 90.5% | 86.7% | 87.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 94.5% | 88.4% | 88.7% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 95.5% | 89.5% | 89.9% | 89.3% |
| Change | +5.5 pts | +3.9 pts | +3.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Griffith: 95.5% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 5.5 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Griffith has a higher share of high school graduates than at least four in five Indiana cities.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Griffith
| Period | Griffith | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.4% | 9.1% | 8.4% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 10.2% | 10.8% | 8.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.1% | 6.3% | 4.9% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.6% | 6.3% | 4.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.8 pts | −2.8 pts | −4.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been easier to find in Griffith than nationally: unemployment was 3.6%, against 5.4%. Unemployment has fallen 3.8 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Griffith compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Griffith | 2.37 | 38.3 | 17.1% | 26.8% | 5.9% | 1966 | $1,213 | 27.1% | 95.5% | 3.6% |
| Highland | 2.29 | 46.2 | 11.4% | 21.5% | 5.4% | 1969 | $1,305 | 29.8% | 94.2% | 4.9% |
| Schererville | 2.51 | 44.1 | 8.0% | 20.3% | 5.4% | 1989 | $1,372 | 34.0% | 94.8% | 4.5% |
| Munster | 2.53 | 45.3 | 9.2% | 13.1% | 4.9% | 1975 | $1,678 | 50.5% | 95.5% | 5.7% |
| Merrillville | 2.40 | 43.3 | 14.8% | 30.6% | 6.1% | 1979 | $1,296 | 25.6% | 91.8% | 7.6% |
| Gary | 2.56 | 38.1 | 25.5% | 49.5% | 24.1% | 1957 | $1,062 | 15.0% | 86.1% | 10.1% |
| Hammond | 2.72 | 36.0 | 20.1% | 38.6% | 10.6% | 1954 | $1,161 | 16.7% | 82.2% | 7.0% |
| Dyer | 2.63 | 44.9 | 8.8% | 10.0% | 3.4% | 1995 | $1,255 | 38.5% | 95.6% | 3.0% |
| Lynwood | 2.71 | 42.7 | 15.7% | 26.9% | 12.8% | 1987 | $1,563 | 27.3% | 92.0% | 6.4% |
| St. John | 2.83 | 44.1 | 4.9% | 2.8% | 4.0% | 2001 | $1,222 | 40.7% | 94.6% | 2.0% |
| Lansing | 2.55 | 40.1 | 20.7% | 27.5% | 8.1% | 1965 | $1,376 | 28.3% | 93.4% | 9.4% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Newton, IA · Othello, WA · Olean, NY · Okatie, SC · Odessa, FL · Oak Grove, OR · North Druid Hills, GA · North Canton, OH · North Aurora, IL · North Amityville, NY
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Griffith. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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